Around 150 angry residents crowded in front of the gates of a Black Country quarry, sporting banners and placards protesting over claims of excessive noise and dust.

Pensioners, families and young children from in and around the Sandpipers estate, Kingswinford, turned out in a bid to highlight the problems they say have arisen since the quarry in Dudley Road changed hands to WCL Quarries earlier this year.

They say lorries arrive at the site starting at 6am on weekdays, when according to the company’s permits work was not supposed to begin until 8am, and that recycling work crushing concrete started even though planning permission is still pending.

WCL boss Simon Winner has labelled the complaints “unsubstantiated”, insisting the firm had done nothing wrong. He said that since opening earlier this year, they have created 11 new jobs.

“We are in compliance with all planning permissions and are working with, and are regularly inspected by, Dudley Council and the Environment Agency. None of the complaints have been substantiated,” he said.

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