VERWOOD residents are upping their fight against plans to extract gravel from Moors Valley Country Park.

More than 300 people squeezed into Verwood Memorial Hall for a recent public meeting against Hampshire County Council’s proposals to quarry 250,000 tonnes a year from a 700,000 square metre patch of the site. Known as Purple Haze, it would then be turned into landfill. Existing landfill to the east of B3081, ‘Blue Haze’, would also be extended.

Campaigners worried about the loss of a section of the park have formed an action group, No 2 Purple Haze, to galvanise the town into objecting.

Concerns include noise and dust produced, an extra 300 lorries along Ringwood Road daily and a £20,000-£60,000 drop in the value of homes.

North Dorset MP Bob Walter and East Dorset District Council leader Spencer Flower are backing the group after the county council initially failed to consult Verwood residents on the Minerals & Waste Strategy. It is now inviting comments and a six-week statutory consultation on fuller plans starts in November.

Marilyn Warburton, of Ringwood Road, said: “It seems both grossly unfair and short-sighted to ruin a beautiful place like Moors Valley Country Park and Verwood.

“I am not an unfair person and understand the need for gravel, sand and landfill but there must be other less picturesque areas needing the employment this industry would bring. The beautiful country park generates a great deal of business by way of tourism.”

Pam Smith, who attended the meeting, said: “Dog walkers and cyclists were told that many paths in Moors Valley would be lost and much of the area’s beautiful forests, heath and bog would go, along with its varied wildlife.”

Visit no2purplehaze.co.uk/ for details of the group.