SAVE LONGSTONE EDGE

SAVE LONGSTONE EDGE

Coalition warns Government to Act Now

27 June 2008

On the 5th year anniversary since quarrying resumed at Longstone Edge in the Peak District, a major coalition has warned the Government to ‘act now’ or lose 350 hectares of irreplaceable landscape forever.

This summer marks the five year anniversary that Bleaklow Industries and MMC resumed the mining of a 1952-granted mineral permission at the outstandingly beautiful Longstone Edge in the Peak District National Park. This week, the Longstone Edge Coalition (LEC), an alliance of 8 major environmental and conservation agencies, has written to the Government urging Defra to provide immediate financial support to the Peak District National Park Authority to halt continued devastation caused by the quarrying.

In a letter to the Environment Secretary, Hilary Benn MP, Ruth Chambers, Deputy CEO of the Campaign for National Parks has warned the Government to “give the highest priority” to saving Longstone Edge. She comments: “The irreplaceable national park land at Longstone Edge has, this year, suffered five years of devastation from quarrying.

“The Government must act now to save this precious land that it is bound to protect, because fresh ground is being cleared for further quarrying.“

She adds: “The Government’s actions towards Longstone Edge are of national significance; a positive response from Hilary Benn would boost this government’s track record on protecting our finest landscapes”.

David Murray, Countryside Campaigner for the Ramblers' Association added “We’ll soon have to rename this beautiful, much walked and cherished landscape ‘Long-gone Edge’ if the government doesn’t step in immediately to help the national park authority stop the demolition. Without funding the authority will not be able to take the necessary action to save Longstone Edge for future generations”.

See the full press release

See the letter to Hilary Benn.