EIGHTY giant lorries a day carrying thousands of tonnes of sand are set to roll through East Dorset for the next decade or more - unless residents can stop a new quarry, planned for the Three Legged Cross area.

The full implications of a plan to extract 2.4 to 3.5 million tonnes of sand over a 12 to 17 year period have become apparent to residents of Horton Common.

According to local councillor and farmer, Ian Flay, who is one of two residents who are on the proposed route to and from the quarry, more than 40 acres of the area is earmarked for the scheme.

"The numbers mean 160 lorry movements per day on and off the site, as well as all the cars and let alone the machinery required on site," he said.

"I'm pretty sure the lorries will go through Three Legged Cross and Ashley Heath as well as some materials going through West Moors as well as past St Mary's School.

"That number of movements a day in such a small area will be colossal."

He said people had already contacted him with worries about traffic safety.

"A lot of walkers and riders use that area and people are deeply concerned about the potential for dust, as well as fumes from pollution," he said.

Vibrations from the lorries could affect a nearby listed property, while the changes could lower house prices, Mr Flay claims.

"I'm 60 now and if I wanted to retire I'm not sure who would buy the house with this going on," he said.

"It would be worthless."

He is also concerned about the possible effect on the local water table.

"A lot of the farms round here are on well-water and if they are going to be digging as deep as we think they will be, those farms are going to suffer contamination to their water or they may lose their water," he said.

Down the line there was also concern as to what would happen when extraction finally finished.

"They say they are going to fill it with low-grade acidic soil but there will be an awfully big hole - will they then decide to use it as landfill?" he said.

Mr Flay has organised a small, private meeting about the plan with other residents for Friday and said they had until January 28 to object to the plan which has been submitted by Bournemouth, Poole and Dorset councils.