~~~~~~~~ View which shows how close the Quarry would be to the English Nature SSSI ~~~~~~~~ Aerial Photo taken 180 metres from the proposed site edge    See NATURE section for many more photographs ... Important Notes below ...

This is a microlite-aerial view of a central part of the proposed quarry site and the English Nature declared Site of Special Scientific Interest : SSSI .

To assist orientation ... Godalming church spire is about a mile down the valley - off to the right of this view . A tiny part of the quarry site shows at the top left as a gently sloping raised field. The trees that border it are part of the SSSI!

A glance at the English Nature website map { scroll below } shows the quarry edge applicable to this photograph as a circular symbol. It is immediately apparent that the SSSI extends right up the slope to include all of the trees right up to the edge of the escarpment.

The prevailing South-West and Westerly winds will concentrate the dust from the quarry workings as it blows down from the ridge and 'settles out' in the calm protected air of the valley.

The River Wey runs in the shaded area near the egg-shaped tree at lower right, flowing to the right ( East ) towards Godalming .

At extreme lower right the edges of the river are populated with spectacular glistening grasses , 'alive' with sparkling damselflies.

Hidden behind trees, the footpath/bridleway ( historic packhorse trail which used to carry messages from Waverley Abbey to Godalming ) runs from Eashing to Godalming. It runs in a gentle curve across the lower central band of the photograph.

The footpath to Shackleford village that is potentially to be destroyed runs across the high field at top left, accessible via a leafy steeply-graded woodland climb up from the valley at mid right.

The village of Hurtmore can be seen as a cluster of rooftops at top right. It is in the firing-line of South Westerly winds blowing potentially- harmful quarry dust .

The 'Council report' ( copies available ) claims that the noise of quarry working is offset by the fact that noise already exists from the A3 Carriageway off-image to the left. This is categorically not the case ... there is ABSOLUTELY no detectable traffic noise in the valley. The Council report also claimed that the 'sand-quarry' site was 'in a valley' !

~~~~~~~~ Location ~~~~~~~~