LORRIES carrying building materials could make life for people living in the East Cambridgeshire villages of Sutton, Haddenham and Wilburton s lives a nightmare over the next 20 years. Trucks carrying tonnes of gravel for use in the new town of Northstowe

LORRIES carrying building materials could make life for people living in the East Cambridgeshire villages of Sutton, Haddenham and Wilburton's lives a nightmare over the next 20 years. Trucks carrying tonnes of gravel for use in the new town of Northstowe and other Cambridgeshire house building projects could be diverted through the villages.

Three million tonnes of gravel will need to be extracted from the existing quarry at Block Fen each year, to build the 40,000-home town between Oakington and Longstanton - sending more than 100 extra lorries per day onto the road network.

Councillors are concerned that the A142 and A10 could become congested, at peak times, and are intent on seeking a 'routing agreement' with the county council so that lorries leaving the quarry do not disrupt the road network at peak times.

Haddenham is already used as a rat-run by scores of lorries each day says Haddenham Cllr Ian Allen, "Why is it right to destroy the lives of existing villagers for the benefit of the new inhabitants of Cambridge or the profits of gravel and waste companies?"

The Liberal Democrats claimed there would be up to 1,000 more lorries a day on our roads, but a spokesperson for the county council's waste management team said there would be a slow increase in HGV traffic between 2010 and 2026, rising to a peak of 142 lorries a day, if Northstowe is given the go-ahead.

Construction waste and refuse from new developments will be thrown into landfill on Mepal airfield at Sutton.

Dimmock's Cote Quarry in Wicken has planning permission to expand and is expected to provide specialist limestone for use in the building trade. The quarry recently played host to a Bronze Age skeleton, which was removed so that extra quarrying could take place in future.

Burwell brick pits will provide clay and some of the building materials and related waste could be transported by rail to Ely and the European Metal Recycling site at Snailwell.

The county council is keen to hear residents' views on the plans for construction, extraction and waste. There will be a public exhibition on September 24 at Mepal Village Hall, 2pm-8pm, at the Glebe in Sutton on Friday, September 26, 2-8pm and at Ely Market on Saturday, September 27, 9am-12pm and the opportunity to submit written comments.