Dangerous quarry near Rugby town centre to be filled with rubble from HS2 - but there are concerns over disturbance to residents

But that could mean those living near to Parkfield Road Quarry having to endure more than four years of trains travelling to and from the site to deliver 1.9 million cubic metres of material dug out to create tunnels and railway cuttings for the controversial new line.

A report to this week’s February 4 regulatory meeting of Warwickshire County Council described some of the screening measures aimed at limiting the noise heard by residents but it admitted there would be disruption.

Plans for levelling the quarry by owners Cemex were first published two years ago when the company held a public exhibition and Graham Jenkins, from SLR Consulting, spoke to councillors at this week’s meeting on behalf of the cement company to explain that they were in favour of creating a liaison group with local councillors and residents for the duration of the project which is expected to take 4.5 years.

Cllr Jill Simpson-Vince (Con Brownsover & Coton Park) outlined some of the concerns of those living next to the quarry and the railway line which will be used as up to three trains a day unload wagons filled with soil.

She said: “This is a disused quarry that is fenced off that nobody can use within an urban area.

"The idea of bringing this back in as a site which looks better is a good idea but I am concerned by the amount of time it is going to take to get there - it might not seem that long in the scheme of things but if you are living there then four-and-a-half years is a long time so I am concerned that we make sure the liaison works.”

Cllr Adrian Warwick (Con Fosse) also raised concerns regarding the timescale, asking what would happen if plans for HS2 were scrapped because once the quarry had been drained and the infilling started.

Committee chairman, Cllr Bill Olner (Lab Nuneaton Abbey), said the site currently posed a danger, especially to children with the water being 20m deep.

He added: “We should not lose sight that this is an opportunity to fill in what is a very, very dangerous place.

"Fences don’t stop children or people and if you get into that water, it [the quarry] is so steep-sided that you will never get out.

"It’s subjective but I wouldn’t want to bring up a young family near to that hole in the ground.”

Councillors agreed to the quarry’s restoration scheme together with certain conditions including the creation of a liaison group.