Backdale Quarry
Landowner: Bleaklow Industries
Mineral Rights Owner: Bleaklow Industries
Operator: MMC Mineral Processing
Quarrying History: Since before the 1952 Permission was granted. Quarrying had been temporarily halted by legal process. In March 2008 the High Court allowed quarrying to resume.
STATUS: Currently being quarried; quarry being extended.
Backdale Quarry is the basis of all of the current problems. Situated adjacent to the B6001 (Hassop Road), it was originally a fluorspar operation, but in recent years has been used solely as a source of limestone aggregate, with no fluorspar being sold from the site. We believe that up to 20,000 tonnes per month of limestone have been removed in the last few years.
Recent, more decisive action by the Peak District National Park Authority (PDNPA) has led to various ‘Enforcement’ and ‘Stop Notices’ being applied to the site, in an attempt to limit the environmental damage. The PDNPA’s view has been that the present operations at Backdale have been unlawful and a breach of the terms of the 1952 permission.
This action led to the operator (MMC Mineral Processing) and the landowner (Bleaklow Industries) filing appeals against these notices with the Planning Inspectorate. The planning inspector ruled in favour of the PDNPA, but the owners appealed to the High Court.
In March 2008 the High Court ruled in favour of the owners, in effect allowing them to quarry as much limestone as they liked. Quarrying has resumed and the quarry is being extended.
The PDNPA is appealing to the Court of Appeal. However, quarrying continues apace.
In reality, the most practical solution is for the Governement to provide funds to buy out the old Minerals Permission. That is the main thrust of our campiagn.
