Peak Quarry Appeal Decision Due Monday

The Court of Appeal decision on the Longstone Edge quarrying case is due next Monday 28 July. If the man in the wig says yes, then the Peak District Natiional Park Authority will be able to appeal against the High Court decision to allow continued quarrying at Longstone Edge.

In March 2008 a High Court judgement allowed Bleaklow Industries to resume quarrying at the prominent Longstone Edge beauty spot, overturning a public inquiry and a 'stop notice' served by the Park Authority.

Depressingly even if the court does allow an appeal, it would leave Longstone Edge vulnerable to months of accelerated quarrying before the appeal is decided.

The Longstone Edge Coalition which represents various groups opposed to the quarry is calling on Hilary Benn, the Cabinet Minister responsible for National Parks in England, to step in and save Longstone Edge with an urgent rescue package. In effect that might mean the government buying out the mineral rights in the area to prevent further quarrying.

John Lambert, Save Longstone Edge Group, comments: 'At the height of the holiday season, the Peak District will be full of visitors from around Britain and the rest of the world.

'Most will be unaware that is still possible for a landowner to remove millions of tonnes of mainly low quality limestone from a National Park to be used as aggregate to build roads and car parks. Yet this is what has been happening since quarrying resumed at Backdale in 1997.

'During this time the planning laws have failed to prevent continuing destruction in the heart of Britain's most visited National Park.'

Depressing stuff. More about the case at www.longstone-edge.org.uk. and in previous OM articles linked below.