CAMPAIGNERS fighting plans for a huge quarry at Moors Valley Country Park have reacted with “dismay and disbelief” after Dorset County Council withdrew its objections.

Hundreds of people have signed a petition asking the council why it has dropped its objections after initially voicing concerns over noise pollution, hydrology and flooding, traffic, effect on the country park’s amenity and effect on other nearby beauty spots.

The council has now told an inspector appointed to examine the ‘soundness’ of Hampshire County Council’s minerals and waste plan that the impact of the large site can be “satisfactorily mitigated”.

The authority is proposing digging up 700,000 square metres to provide up to eight million tonnes of mainly soft sand – up to 250,000 tonnes per year, over 30 years.

Dorset County Council’s response to the examination said: “If it proved possible to address all of these problems, the quantity of sand released would help supply south-east Dorset, western Hampshire and southeast Wiltshire.”

A spokesman for the Friends of Ringwood Forest’s 2,600 members said residents felt “betrayed”.

“We and the many visitors to a major Dorset tourist attraction which contributes to the local economy have been betrayed and left high and dry by DCC,” he said.

“It’s too late for Dorset County Council to be lobbied to adequately oppose HCC’s plans – but it’s not too late to tell DCC what we think of its actions.”

More than 600 people have signed an online petition to be presented to Dorset County Council before a public hearing on June 5.

County, district and town councillor Spencer Flower backed the campaigners.

He said: “There is absolutely no evidence from HCC to prove that mineral extraction from the proposed Purple Haze site would not have a serious and detrimental impact on the hydrology of the area and therefore damage the very sensitive eco system of the Ebblake Bog.

“I think that the precautionary principle should be applied and that the Purple Haze site should be struck from the plan.

“The Friends of Ringwood Forest have other serious concerns and will continue to get my full support.”

Sign up at petitionbuzz.com/petitions/forf2dcc. Campaigners are using the #notopurplehaze hashtag on Twitter to drum up support.