RESIDENTS hope unelected officials will land a blow to plans for new and expanded quarries across the county.

The West Midlands Regional Assembly (WMRA) is set to decide the amount of minerals Staffordshire must provide over the next 10 years.

The county currently produces 65 per cent of the region's sand and gravel, or 6.6 million tonnes a year.

There are fears if the WMRA maintains the quota, the unelected quango will be giving the green light to plans for new pits proposed by the minerals industry.

Proposed sites include Folly Wood, near Loggerheads, and Moddershall Grange, near Stone, both of which are opposed by local residents.

Staffordshire County Council has asked the WMRA to reduce the county's contribution to 55 per cent.

That would mean quarrying one million tonnes less each year until 2020. Councillors hope this will reduce pressure to approve plans for new and expanded quarries in Staffordshire.

Loggerheads parish councillor Ashley Howells, pictured below, who is backing the county council's proposals, says villagers are frustrated the fate of Folly Wood rests with the unelected assembly.

He said: "There are no definite plans in place for mineral extraction at Folly Wood, but we do know there are people who are interested.

"The site isn't in the green belt, but it's fair to say it is an area of special quality landscape."

Mr Howells said a quarry would also result in more heavy goods vehicles using the area's busy roads.

Folly Wood is one of a list of 38 potential extraction sites provided by the minerals industry to the county council which could be developed or expanded. Twenty are for sand and gravel.

Other sites include Netherset Hey, near Madeley, Seighford, near Stafford, and Beech, near Newcastle.

Staffordshire is currently the country's biggest producer of sand and gravel. The West Midlands has to produce 10 million tonnes a year, yet the North East's share is less than 1.5 million.

Robert Marshall, cabinet member for regeneration and infrastructure at the county council, believes the whole region's quota should be cut, as well as Staffordshire's.

He said: "It's good for jobs and for the local economy, but excessive quarrying blights the countryside and local communities. It is an outrage that Staffordshire should provide two-thirds of the West Midlands' sand and gravel."

The WMRA, due to be abolished this year, will discuss the issue when it meets in Lichfield next Wednesday.

Its decision will be submitted to the Government and will influence all authorities in the region.

WMRA head of planning John Pattinson said when the sub-regional contribution figures had been approved by council planners, they would help create "an interim planning statement" which would link to new council minerals documents.