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Gravel glut confirms Henges quarry is not required
Added: (Fri Sep 30 2005)
Campaign group TimeWatch.org have this week announced that a lack of need for gravel is likely to stop Tarmac’s Ladybridge Farm quarry proposal in its tracks.
The announcement comes less than two weeks after Tarmac had been given four months delay in order to ascertain the full extent of the archaeology.
"Council officers have confirmed that the gravel “bank” is full” Said George Chaplin, Chairman of TimeWatch. “What they have said, is that thee is sufficient gravel available by way of existing permissions for the foreseeable future. This is extremely important as it removes any claim Tarmac have that the proposal being is a special case.
Not only is the application outside of the council's preferred areas, but there's also more than enough gravel available from elsewhere" Said George Chaplin, Chairman of TimeWatch "This makes the debate about the archaeology somewhat superfluous”
Council officers have confirmed that there is more than sufficient gravel set aside to fulfil the council’s statutory obligations. With no overriding need for gravel, planning policy breaches weigh more heavily against applications.
Background
Nosterfield gravel quarry sits within one of Britain's most important ancient sites - The Thornborough Henges in North Yorkshire.
The site is a huge complex of ancient monuments including henges that date back to the Stone Age.
Thornborough is regarded by archaeologists as unique and exceptional; It may have been host to Britain's largest pre-Christian religious gatherings and is part of the largest concentrations of “super” henges in the country.
Since 2003 pro-heritage campaign groups have called for an end to large scale gravel quarrying at Thornborough. They have claimed the quarry has been removing large amounts of nationally important archaeology; contrary to current planning policy, which requires such important archaeology be left in place as well as its setting.
Tarmac recently applied to quarry Ladybridge Farm, a 50 hectare field over the road from the current quarry workings and still within the monument complex.
English Heritage has declared Ladybridge to be a site of national importance and have requested that North Yorkshire County Council turn down the quarry application. Tarmac has been given four months to carry out further work, but this will only delay a decision that campaigners are now saying is inevitable.
North Yorkshire County planning committee will meet in January 2006 to determine the Ladybridge Farm planning application.
For more information regarding the Thornborough Henges visit www.timewatch.org. Press enquiries via press@timewatch.org.