Hint of Buyout on Quarry
3 May 2008
The Government has given its strongest hint yet that it is considering spending millions of pounds to end quarrying in part of the Peak District.
Environment Secretary Hilary Benn told the House of Commons that he was working on ideas to halt the quarrying at Longstone Edge, near Bakewell.
"I am keen to find a permanent solution to the despoilation of one of the most beautiful parts of our countryside," Mr Benn said.
Mr Benn gave no further details in his statement, which made in response to a question from West Derbyshire Conservative MP Patrick McLoughlin, who had face-to-face talks about the Longstone Edge problem with Mr Benn last week.
But Mr McLoughlin was in no doubt that the Government was facing up to the fact that if no-one can halt the quarrying in any other way, a lot of money would have to be thrown at the problem.
He believes the permanent solution Mr Benn spoke about can only come through a successful court action against the quarrying later this year - or the buying out of the planning permission at a cost of millions of pounds.
"We shall have to wait and see but I am very hopeful that we shall have a solution before too long," Mr McLoughlin said.
"The Government spent £800m on the Millennium Dome and only 60m people went to see it. About 20m people visit the Peak District every year," he said.
This story appeared on the This is Derbyshire website, but no longer appears there.