Peak Quarry Saga Over?

The Peak District National Park Authority has welcomed a decision by the House of Lords not to hear an appeal against its enforcement action against continued quarrying at Longstone Edge.


The decision almost certainly spells the end of the long-running and controversial dispute over the rights of the quarry owners to extract limestone from Backdale Quarry under a legal loophole over mineral rights.

Essentially the quarry owners are allowed to extract the mineral fluospar and small quantities of limestone in the process, but have effectively been mining excessive amounts of limestone to the consternation of local people and the Park Authority.

The decision by Law Lords not to allow an appeal against a Park Authority order to stop limestone quarrying should spell the end of the legal process.

Chair of the Authority Narendra Bajaria said: “We very much welcome this decision - and we hope and expect it will speed progress toward a permanent resolution of the problems on Longstone Edge.

“It is a testament to the resolve and expertise of the Authority and its legal advisers. We’d like to thank all those people in the local communities, national environmental groups, MPs and the Government for their active backing of our case.

“We now want to talk directly to the companies involved to find out their intentions. Our expectation is that any future working will be in line with the interpretation of the planning permission given by the Court of Appeal. This is the definitive interpretation which the House of Lords has now said should not be challenged.”

Hopefully that'll be the end of it. More information about the quarrying from linked articles below and  at www.longstone-edge.org.uk