A CONTROVERSIAL mining scheme has been given the green light by councillors despite serious concerns over safety on the A12.

Essex County Council’s development and regulation committee voted to approve plans for a quarry at Colemans Farm, in Rivenhall, which will use a “dangerous” access point on to the A12.

The proposed access road in Little Braxted Lane opens on to the A12 sliproad at Junction 22, which was labelled “substandard and dangerous” by highways chief Rodney Bass at a meeting in July.

That meeting was adjourned so councillors could visit the site to assess the dangers and so the applicant, Brice Aggregates, could make amendments.

Clare Dobie, Braxted parish councillor and chairman of Stop the Quarry Save the Landscape, said she was disappointed at the decision.

She said: “The highways authority seems to believe that better sight lines and a couple of signs will address these concerns.

“The fact is that the junction will remain dangerous because of the intrinsic layout of the junction.”

Eight councillors voted to approve the bid, while two abstained.

See this week's Braintree and Witham Times for the full story.