‘Scandalous cover-up’ claim sparks Hamble quarry row

A war of words has erupted between two senior Hampshire politicians after a legal bid to stop a controversial quarry was thrown out by the High Court.

Hampshire County Council leader Nick Adams-King has accused Eastleigh Borough Council leader Keith House of making “false” claims and peddling a “political conspiracy” over the handling of plans for a quarry at Hamble Airfield.

But Cllr House has hit back, accusing the Conservative-led county council of a “scandalous cover-up” and claiming its planning system is “essentially corrupt”.

The clash follows Hamble Parish Council’s unsuccessful Statutory Review challenge to the planning inspector’s decision to grant permission for Cemex’s quarry scheme.

The county council’s Regulatory Committee refused the application in May 2024, citing concerns including flooding, highways and air quality.

Cemex appealed, and the planning inspector later allowed the scheme after the council concluded it could no longer defend the original reasons for refusal.

Cllr House said: “Nick Adams-King should not try to hide behind his planning staff. He needs to take responsibility for the council he leads taking a decision to overturn its own planning committee.

“Cemex did not solve the traffic issues with their proposal. They merely offered a small sum of money for a footpath improvement.

“The council used this as a sop to withdraw their objection without reference back to the planning committee.”

He described the affair as “the most scandalous cover-up I have witnessed in nearly 40 years as a councillor”, adding that it showed “under Conservative leadership the planning system at the county council is essentially corrupt”.

In an earlier Facebook post, Cllr House said the committee’s refusal had been “overturned by political bosses at Hampshire”.

But Cllr Adams-King said that claim was “untrue” and demanded an apology.

In a Facebook post, he said: “No Conservative cabinet member overturned the regulatory committee. There was no cabinet decision, no secret political intervention and no instruction to planning officers.”

Cllr Adams-King said Cemex had exercised its right to appeal and supplied further evidence to address the original concerns.

He said the county council’s planning officers had concluded that the refusal grounds could not be defended.

He added: “That was a professional planning judgement, not a political decision.”

The Conservative leader said the final decision was made by an independent planning inspector appointed by the Secretary of State, which matches the record of the appeal decision.