The vast extent of two sprawling quarries which could dominate land on the Black Country-Staffordshire border emerged after plans showing the scale of the sites were released today.

Staffordshire County Council bosses have unveiled new documents which show the proposed locations and sizes of the quarries. Contractor FG Davis wants to open the sites off Swindon Road in Wall Heath, Dudley.

The two schemes would cover an area of 18 acres – equivalent to nine football pitches – with excavation of them spanning two decades.

The plans show the quarries would dominate land to the back of Dudley-Kingswinford Rugby Club while the larger of the two would stretch all the way between the Old Bush Inn, Swindon Road and the Navigation Inn pub at Greensforge. Hinksford mobile home park would only be separated from the bigger quarry by a canal if the proposals are approved.

Horrified residents say they are shocked at the scale of the plans. Dennis Skinner, aged 72, who lives in Swindon Road, Wall Heath, said: “I’m appalled.

“It shocks me that they even consider going ahead with it because it’s a beautiful bit of countryside down there and everyone knows the effect quarries have on the local environment.

“Knowing the level of vehicles we have down here at the moment, the thought of all these lorries going down their fills me with dread,” Mr Skinner added.

“It sounds enormous. It will just be a blot on the landscape but it’s the amount of traffic that is the biggest concern.

“A lot of people will be appalled that it’s being reconsidered,” he said.

Councillor Dave Tyler is spearheading the campaign against the quarries, which starts in earnest today after an official consultation on the plans started.

Householders have six weeks to make their feelings known and Councillor Tyler says they are “up in arms”.

He has warned the quarries would “impact on people for at least a generation”.