SAVE LONGSTONE EDGE

SAVE LONGSTONE EDGE

Public Meeting called for 23 April

30 March 2009

On March 18th 2009 three Court of Appeal judges unanimously allowed the Government and National Park Authority appeal against the disastrous decision at the High Court in March 2008.

Mr Justice Sullivan had overturned the 2007 decision of a Planning Inspector that strictly limited the amount of limestone that could be quarried at Backdale and Wager’s Flat.

So now we are back to where we were before the 2008 High Court hearing, where the quarry company can only sell two tonnes of limestone for every one tonne of fluorspar. It is apparent that, at this ratio, the company has little interest in quarrying Backdale or Wager’s Flat.

So what might happen now? The companies could seek leave to appeal to the House of Lords, and they have until mid-April to do this. The House of Lords would then decide whether to grant leave to appeal or deny it. If leave to appeal were granted the case would be unlikely to be heard for at least another year.

We want the National Park Authority to revoke the 1952 Planning Permission that has led to the destruction at Longstone Edge so that the Edge’s future as part of the National Park can be safeguarded for all time.

While we are delighted with the decision of the Court of Appeal, the saga of Longstone Edge has not yet reached a conclusion.

So please come to our public meeting in Calver Village Hall at 7.30pm on Thursday, 23 April, when we hope to have further information on what will happen next.

This story is copied from the March 2009 newsletter.

Click for directions to the Calver Village Hall.