Alarm bells ring over cement plan

Local concern is growing about the impact of a proposed cement works expansion. Following a series of public exhibitions of plans by Cemex, owners of the Barrington quarry and works, householders have become increasing worried about its impact. The proposals include expanding the quarry, building a new plant area and a new tower.
But ecology expert Dr Francine Hughes said it could damage the environment. Dr Hughes, a lecturer in ecology and conservation from Comberton, said: "It will damage the amenity value of one of the only parts of Cambridgeshire which affords hilly walking, along the chalk ridge between Wimpole and Barrington. The county has little enough green space for people to walk in and this will spoil one of the few ’good bits’.

If you are a fan of industrial buildings on a global scale and really big engineering structures, you’ll like it." Doug Cattermole, of The Elms, Haslingfield, said: "The proposal is more akin to the building of a huge waste incinerator less than five miles from the historic centre of Cambridge.

Coun Cyril Kenzie, Shepreth Parish Council chairman, said the council would be holding a meeting in a few weeks to discuss it. He said: "I think everyone is concerned about it. "Personally, traffic-wise I think some of the villages will be worse off and some will be better off, but I think the thing worrying most people is the pollution." Cemex set out its plans to expand the quarry and the building of a new plant last week. Rolf Anttila, plant manager, said the plan was "reaching the end of its useful life" and the change was necessary to "secure the future of cement making in Barrington". The plans will be presented to Cambridgeshire County Council next month.