The British Mountaineering Council and the Peak Park Authority
have welcomed the decision to halt limestone quarrying at Longstone
Edge in the Peak District National Park.
Last Friday a planning inspector ruled in favour of the Peak
District National Park Authority (PDNPA)'s enforcement action to halt
the removal of huge quantities of limestone by quarry owners and
operators at Backdale Quarry on Longstone Edge near Bakewell.
The owners and operators of the quarry now have four weeks to
appeal against the decison, but if the appeal fails, extraction of
limestone will be halted to the relief both of local people and
numerous outdoors-related organisations.
Guy Keating, British Mountaineering Council (BMC) Access and
Conservation Officer said: "This is great news and after the
uncertainties of the public inquiry it is very heartening to see the
'right' decision has been made. Congratulations must go to
the Park authority and the local pressure groups for sticking to
their guns and taking the quarry companies on - let's hope
this sends out a very strong message that our National Parks really
are too precious to be meddled with."
The Park Authority is also pleased with the decision. Authority
Chairman Tony Hams describes it as a 'major success' but sounds a
note of caution as well:
"Although this is wonderful news I would stress that it is just
one more step forward - allbeit a huge one - in our continuing
efforts to protect Longstone Edge from unauthorised limestone
extraction."
Under the 1952 permission, minerals such as limestone should only
be 'won' in the course of working for fluorspar. However, the
Authority has always contended that Backdale was being worked for
limestone.
"This ruling makes it clear that working for fluorspar cannot be
used to remove huge quantities of limestone," said Tony Hams.
