The Walkford and Beckley Farm site is currently open fields and farmland surrounding the Woodland Burial Ground. As the pictures show it is a tranquil spot, with local residents using the footpaths every day, and plenty of local wildlife, especially birds.

The proposed site is large scale, 93 hectares! The pit would run right up to Cranemoor Wood and right up past Dark Lane almost to the A35. The plan would be to take out 5 million tonnes of gravel. (more pictures below)

Open Fields

This shot shows the rolling open fields at the Walkford site. This was taken in early spring, so you can only imagine how it looks during peak summer.

Woodland Burial Ground

The Woodland Burial Ground nestles right up to the proposed extraction site, and is a popular resting place for local people. It also of course provides somewhere peaceful for friends and relatives to pay their respects.

If the gravel extraction was to go ahead then the burial ground would be literally surrounded by the noise, dust and disruption of the diggers and lorries.