News Archive
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1st May 2008 - Patrick McLoughlin parliamentary question to Hilary Benn
You may be interested to read this transcript of an oral Parliamentary Question asked by West Derbyshire MP Patrick McLoughlin on May 1st, followed by Environment Secretary Hilary Benn's reply:
Mr. Patrick McLoughlin (West Derbyshire) Con): May I begin by thanking the Secretary of State and the Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the hon. Member for Chatham and Aylesford (Jonathan Shaw), for meeting me last week to discuss the problems on Longstone Edge? Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that several hon. Members have written to me about the subject and keenly await the decisions that he and the Department for Communities and Local Government have to make in the next few months? Can he say anything further?
Hilary Benn: I am grateful to the right hon. Gentleman and many other hon. Members who have raised that important issue, which is a source of concern to us all. As he knows, the Department for Communities and Local Government and the national park authority are seeking leave to appeal against the recent judgment. As he knows from our conversation, I am keen to find a permanent solution to the despoliation of one of the most beautiful parts of our countryside. The Under-Secretary, who has done a lot of work on the matter, and I commit to continue working with the right hon. Gentleman, other hon. Members, the national park authority and local people.
23rd April 2008 - Major coalition calls on Government for urgent rescue package to save National Park from quarrying devastation
The Longstone Edge Coalition (LEC) (1) is calling on the Government to provide an urgent rescue package to save the Peak District National Park, following a recent High Court judgement which has left over 350 hectares of irreplaceable landscape vulnerable to devastation by quarrying. Supporters, including the Save Longstone Edge Group, are meeting with MP Patrick McLoughlin and Environment Secretary Hilary Benn on Thursday 24th April. Using a mineral permission granted in 1952, Bleaklow Industries and MMC have resumed mining at Longstone Edge in the National Park since the judgement in March this year (2). This week, in a move welcomed by Longstone Edge Coalition, the Government and the Peak District National Park Authority have decided to appeal against the High Court decision. The March 2008 ruling overturned a public inquiry and a ‘stop notice’ served by the Park Authority to prevent quarrying at Backdale on Longstone Edge. The Longstone Edge Coalition, a major coalition of environmental and conservation groups, is calling for urgent revocation of the 1952 mining permission to prevent continued damage. It is calling on the Government to prepare a rescue package to meet the costs, warning that the National Park Authority would not be able to meet these without Government support. Ruth Chambers of the Council for National Parks comments: “Protection of land of immeasurable beauty and value at Longstone Edge is a matter of vital national interest. Responsibility cannot be shouldered by the beleaguered Peak Park Authority alone. We are calling on the Government to act now to support the Park Authority and protect it from potential financial ruin." John Lambert, a local resident and Secretary of the Save Longstone Edge Group, adds: “This is a problem created in 1952 by Government, and it is Government’s responsibility to sort it out.”
15th May 2007
The Peak District National Park Authority has put a stop-order on unauthorised quarrying at Wagers Flat. This requires the quarry operator to stick to the 1952 permissions which state that Limestone can only be worked in the course of extracting vein minerals such as fluorspar. SLEG are very happy that PDNPA have taken this action but frustrated that such action was not taken in 2006. Authority takes action to stop unauthorised quarrying at Wagers Flat
27th April 2007
Backdale Public Inquiry Decision - Challenge21st April 2007
Celebration of Mass ProtestMarch 2007
SLEG comments on the Backdale Public Inquiry5th February 2007
Campaigners hoping to stop work at a North Derbyshire quarry have taken part in a protest walk Quarry Campaigners get marching
30th January 2007
Peak District National Park Authority News Release
Barry Gardiner(minister for National Parks) visited Longstone Edge
22nd January 2007
Stoney Middleton is flooded by industrial waste from Longstone Quarry19th January 2007
Peak District National Park Authority News Release
First step toward enforcement action on Wager’s Flat
15th December 2006
Peak District National Park Authority News Release
Authority Seeks further information on quarrying at Wager's Flat
29th November 2006
Peak District National Park Authority News Release
Authority disappointed by High Court ruling
25th October 2006
Supporters of the Save Longstone Edge campaign travelled to Westminster to see their MP Patrick McLoughlin (West Derbyshire, Conservative Chief Whip) lead an adjournment debate he had secured at short notice following a recent visit to Longstone Edge with SLEG members. Over 30 hardy souls packed onto a coach at 6:30 am on Tuesday morning (24th October) for the long journey to London. Click here for full article.
25th October 2006
Peak District National Park Authority News Release
Peak District Quarry Issue Raised in Commons: Peak District quarrying issues were again raised at national level with
a parliamentary adjournment debate at Westminster Hall on Tuesday. (Oct 24)
23rd October 2006
The BBC Look North Politics Show took place on Sunday 22nd October LIVE from Calver Village Hall in the heart of the Peak District National Park.
Over 170 people were crammed into the hall (with about half as many again left outside - abject apologies to them)) to participate in a lively debate about the alleged unlawful quarrying activity in Backdale Quarry and associated areas. Click here for full article.
1st October 2006
Over 250 people of all ages braved initially very wet conditions to come on the SLEG Guided Walk, led by local ecologist Dr Steve Furness, around Longstone Edge this morning. Click here for full article.
27th September 2006
Peak District National Park leaders are keeping up pressure for Government support in their efforts to end harmful quarrying on Longstone Edge, near Bakewell. National Park Authority chair Tony Hams told a public meeting of nearly 200 people in Calver (Sept 26) that a delegation will be briefing recently-appointed rural affairs minister Barry Gardiner MP on October 16. See full press release on PDNPA web site.
8th May 2006
The PDNPA have issued a new enforcement and a new stop notice. See press release.
28th March 2006
Following a court case in Wales the Planning Inspectorate have ruled in a decision letter that the enforcement notice is invalid. The Inquiry has therefore been cancelled. SLEG will have to consider what action is needed.
24th March 2006
A meeting was held by PDNPA to consider what action to take if nullity is declared. See report and supplementary report. An item appeared in the Yorkshire Post. The PDNPA have made contingency plans to issue new enforcement and stop notices and to apply for a declaration from the High Court. The meeting was reported in the Yorkshire Post.
1st March 2006
The main parties, as requested by the Inspector, submitted their arguments on whether the enforcement notice was a nullity. The intention was that the Inspector would make a ruling before the inquiry is scheduled to open. If the notice is found to be null the PDNPA would have to start the process over again.
MMC have withdrawn their appeal concerning time for compliance as they have already had to stop extraction under the terms of the stop notice
Bleaklow case
MMC case
PDNPA case
February 2006
SLEG are planning for the resumption of the inquiry on 4th April, and making another push for more funds needed to finance our advocate, to make maximum impact at the inquiry. A newsletter is going out to our contributors around 25th February.
The way the stop notice is working is that blasting of undisturbed rock has stopped, so the main damage is halted. However, they are crushing the loose stones on site and still selling from stockpiles. This seems to be within the narrow definition of what they are permitted to do. We think activity will continue along these lines for some months to come.
30th January 2006
Minister Jim Knight’s eagerly awaited visit took place. SLEG waylaid him and the accompanying Park chiefs on the footpath at Bank Wood opposite the quarry and, as SLEG had alerted the media, a bit of a media scrum resulted. C4, BBC and Calendar crews were there, plus snappers from two local newspapers and a radio reporter taking turns to interview Jim Knight with the quarry as backdrop. He left with a deep impression of the problems we all face.
That evening the Park arranged a public meeting at Cliff College to explain their recent actions, and a full hall of 300+ people came to hear the latest. The numerous questions from the public and the SLEG committee ensured that all angles were covered. The depth of public concern was duly reinforced in the Park Authority’s officials present.
24th January 2006
Stop notice issued by PDNPA covering Backdale except for Deep Rake
20th January 2006
The PDNPA held a meeting to discuss their meeting with the Minister and to decide upon action. They considered a report from their officers recommending a stop notice. The Planning Chairman (Narendra Bajaria) singled out SLEG for mention, saying its actions were an important factor in coming to this conclusion. The Government issued a press statement.
13th January 2006
PDNPA members met the Minister, Jim Knight to press for support in taking further action.
9 December 2005
Meeting of National Park Authority Members. The following day members assembled at Aldern House, intending to decide what action to take at Backdale. Since the main decision has been postponed to the 13th January meeting, nothing substantive was decided. However, much was done by SLEG with the aim of influencing PDNPA members about the importance of Backdale.
Before the meeting SLEG had written a detailed letter to each member, and included a copy of our DVD. At the meeting itself, in the public presentations slot, the DVD was shown plus clips from the Calendar piece. Three-minute presentations were made by SLEG members and the BMC. PDNPA Members were also told about the SLEG meeting on the 28th November. Extensive informal feedback from PDNPA people at the meeting testified to the influence all this had. Much of the meeting was held in confidential session, but we believe that the PDNPA is committed in principle to firm action.
SLEG will now be increasing the pressure it can put directly on the operators MMC Mineral Processing, and their parent company Merriman of Leicester.