<< News >> Quarry operators anger at being barred from meeting
Submitted by PaulM on Sunday, 20 February 2005 Page Views: 2017
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Later this year, North Yorkshire County Council planning committee is due to consider an application by Tarmac, which employs 15 full time workers at
Nosterfield and supports the operations of local haulage companies to the tune of £2.3m a year, to extend extraction into the nearby Ladybridge Farm
area. The proposal was first unveiled at the end of 2001, since when campaigners against the move have claimed that it could have a devastating
effect on the archaeological setting of the Thornborough Henges, three prehistoric scheduled ancient monuments which enjoy legal protection.
Tarmac Northern has agreed to defer any attempt to extend extraction to Thornborough Moor, which contains the henges, until the results of an extensive environmental appraisal are known. It has pointed out that Ladybridge Farm is about half a mile from the nearest henge.
On Tuesday, about 40 local people attended a meeting at West Tanfield to develop what was described as an informed and united voice regarding local environmental issues.
The county council, invited to explain how the Ladybridge Farm application and future mineral planning would affect those living close to the quarry,
sent head of minerals planning Alwyn Shaw.
Tarmac Northern said later, however, that it was disappointed that the organisers had declined an offer by the company to give factual answers to
questions raised by residents. The firm instead distributed a letter to residents, in the name of estates manager Bob Nicholson and Alan Coe,
operations manager, putting forward points on behalf of Tarmac and the workforce.
Thornborough villager Elaine Swann, who organised the meeting with other residents, said it had not been a public event. "we specifically asked Tarmac Northern not to attend, and I thought I made it perfectly clear, because we wanted to keep the meeting impartial."
Mr Nicholson said later: "This would have been an ideal opportunity to go in there and answer the questions of local residents, but we were prevented
from doing so."
He said the campaign against the extension had angered the workforce.
"These are just normal men who are not in any way militant, but they are angry that people from elsewhere are coming in and making statements that
are not particularly accurate".
"They feel these people are trying to get the quarry closed and put them out of a job."
The Tarmac letter addressed operational aspects of the proposed extension and described the companies record in local environmental, archaeological and wildlife issues since it began working Nosterfield quarry 14 years ago.
Source: Darlington and Stockton Times 18 February 2005
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