CAMPAIGNERS want plans to dig gravel between Cholsey and Wallingford dropped as county councillors consider whether to scrap the local authority’s minerals strategy.

Under the county council’s plan, 1.2m tonnes a year will be dug in Oxfordshire, with the Cholsey site replacing Sutton Courtenay for gravel extraction for 25 years from 2020.

Planning inspector Jonathan King, who is to conduct an examination-in-public of the strategy, asked the county council earlier this year to provide more information on how it consulted other local authorities on the gravel issue.

Now the hearing has been suspended until Friday, July 19, to allow county councilllors to decide on July 9 whether to proceed with the current strategy or withdraw it and draw up a new one.

County council leader Ian Hudspeth said the inspector’s criticism followed the introduction of the National Planning Policy Framework last year. He added: “If the current strategy is found to be unsound that could cause lengthy delays.

“We would be able to get a new policy back in play in much quicker time, so withdrawing the current plan might be the best option.”

Wallingford mayor Bernard Stone, a member of campaign group Cage (Communities Against Gravel Extraction), said: “It has been our case all along that Cholsey and Wallingford should not be part of the plan.

“If the current plan is withdrawn then Cage will be pressing for council leaders to have a fundamental look at the evidence.”