Longstone Edge - The Threat Recedes?
19 December 2010
In a newsletter Save Longstone Edge Group Chairman John Lambert has said that good progress has been made lately in the fight to save Longstone Edge.
The European Court of Human Rights has refused Bleaklow Industries leave to appeal against the British Courts’ decision on the meaning of the 1952 planning permission for fluorspar extraction on Longstone Edge. We now have legal certainty about the meaning of the planning permission whose loose wording has been the cause of all the destruction that has taken place.
In a further development, the chemical company Ineos has decided to shut Cavendish Mill, the plant near Longstone Edge that carries out the initial processing of fluorspar. There is now no UK outlet for any fluorspar quarried in the future from Longstone Edge.
Taken together, these developments lessen the likelihood of new quarrying taking place on Longstone Edge, though risks remain as the 1952 planning permission still has 32 years to run. Any future quarrying would be restricted to taking 2 tons of limestone for every ton of flourspar
The Peak District National Park Authority is in discussions with both Ineos and with Bleaklow about the future. Importantly, a process called ROMP (Review of Old Minerals Permissions) should mean that if further quarrying were to take place, restoration of the quarried site would be required.
We can now be more optimistic about the future of Longstone Edge, and we thank all of our supporters for their help. Without you, the destruction of Longstone Edge would be continuing. You have made a difference.
Although the risks are now less, SLEG will continue to monitor the situation, and we will keep you informed of developments.