View Full Version : Please help save part of the Peak District
Please sign this petition to object to large scale quarrying commencing in the Peak District.
petitions.pm.gov.uk/Quarrying/
More info here...
(w)ww.longstone-edge.org.uk/
Many thanks
(you'll have to cut and past the above, the links didn't work because of a lack of posts, sorry.)
cgksheff 23-02-2007, 17:16 http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Quarrying/
www.longstone-edge.org.uk/
Previous aerial photo of one of the areas being worked (Wager's Flat I think) (http://www.multimap.com/map/photo.cgi?client=public&X=420500&Y=373250&width=700&height=400&gride=420000&gridn=373250&srec=0&coordsys=gb&db=freegaz&pc=&zm=0&scale=5000&multimap.x=244&multimap.y=226)
Recent (2007) aerial photo the same area (http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=calver&sll=53.098145,-2.443696&sspn=8.224424,14.853516&ie=UTF8&om=1&z=17&ll=53.255959,-1.698793&spn=0.003999,0.010772&t=k&iwloc=addr)
cgksheff 23-02-2007, 19:17 Can I ask what activities are there to restrict the activities on sites which have much larger quarrying operations than this one in the Peaks?
andrews701 25-02-2007, 17:01 blast the lot:D
I believe that this is relevant to Sheffield people, many of whom regularly visit and love the natural beauty on our doorstep...
Quarrying in the Peak District is becoming a major problem and a local action group would welcome your support by signing up to a petition to the Prime Minister.
An excellent website about the area affected, information about the petition and the mess being made by quarrying, can be found at:
www.longstone-edge.org.uk
If you care about this issue, please sign the petition here:
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Quarrying/
cgksheff 26-02-2007, 20:47 http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=190165
Is that the Lafarge site?
superchantty 26-02-2007, 21:09 already signed one last week and posted it
Nuts - soreee! Should have done my homework.
Haydn1971 26-02-2007, 22:42 When I was working for Derbyshire CC a few years back, I was amazed at the number of people that rang the Traffic Office, complaining about quarrying and perhaps more worrying farm vehicles disturbing the peace !
Now, I understand that the Peak District is a place of beauty, it's a major tourist attraction, but the vast majority of people cantacting the office were people that had either retired to the Peak or had moved to the Peak from a major city to escape the busy urban life, yet still worked in the city... I got the distinct impression that none of the callers ever thought that the local long term residents of the Peak, people that had lived there all their life, were dependant on the support economy of the quarries and farming in the Peak...
What concerns me with this patition is that stopping the quarrying operations whilst yes, on the face of it a good idea, it does not consider the impact on the local economies - there are small businesses set up to provide repairs for vehicles, delivery of goods, employment in the quarries, plus all the support industries, production of macadam, concrete and related products, all of which financially prop up Derbyshire, allowing other support businesses to complement the industries. I don't feel that tourism alone cannot create enough income to fund business rates that support the tourism in the Peak, Derbyshire is more than a place to visit, it's the place where much of the raw materials used in construction is sourced....
Can anyone give an informed counter debate ?
nope, but I can support your text ;)
even the local hotels are to an extent dependent on the quarrying - as the business visitors to the quarry are not only there for one off meetings, but attend residential training courses in private hotels
the quarry also provides the local area with it's mobile network coverage and funds the local mountain rescue, not to mention the other 'compensations' it pays in the form of infrastructure and it's maintenance in the area
redrobbo 26-02-2007, 23:38 When I was working for Derbyshire CC a few years back, I was amazed at the number of people that rang the Traffic Office, complaining about quarrying and perhaps more worrying farm vehicles disturbing the peace !
Now, I understand that the Peak District is a place of beauty, it's a major tourist attraction, but the vast majority of people cantacting the office were people that had either retired to the Peak or had moved to the Peak from a major city to escape the busy urban life, yet still worked in the city... I got the distinct impression that none of the callers ever thought that the local long term residents of the Peak, people that had lived there all their life, were dependant on the support economy of the quarries and farming in the Peak...
What concerns me with this patition is that stopping the quarrying operations whilst yes, on the face of it a good idea, it does not consider the impact on the local economies - there are small businesses set up to provide repairs for vehicles, delivery of goods, employment in the quarries, plus all the support industries, production of macadam, concrete and related products, all of which financially prop up Derbyshire, allowing other support businesses to complement the industries. I don't feel that tourism alone cannot create enough income to fund business rates that support the tourism in the Peak, Derbyshire is more than a place to visit, it's the place where much of the raw materials used in construction is sourced....
Can anyone give an informed counter debate ?
I am a son of Derbyshire by birth. The county bears testimony to the activities of man in his continual need to exploit the wealth that lies beneath the soil.
The Romans mined lead around Wirksworth and district, a toiling of the soil which continued for many centuries thereafter. It is worth visiting the Magpie mine at Sheldon, and also the Peak District Mining Museum at Matlock Bath, both preserved by Peak District Mines Historical Society.
In the east of county, coal was extracted from dark caverns beneath the surface of the ground. The fortunes of Bess of Hardwick, the richest woman in Elizebethan times, were based on coal extraction. Bess is entombed in Derby cathedral, but her magnificent legacy of Hardwick Hall and Chatsworth House remains to this day.
In the south of the county, mainly on the flood plains of the river Trent, gravel extraction took place, and there were also a few coal mines at Bretby, Cadley Hill and other places around Swadlincote.
Hopton marble, mined in the Via Gellia, provided the stone for over 10,000 war graves. The famous Adam style fireplace, designed by Robert Adam and installed in Kedleston Hall (near Derby) in 1762 is the earliest dated decorative application of Blue John. The wonderful show caves of Castleton, Treak Cliff, Speedwell, Blue John Cavern and the Peak Cavern ( known as the Devil's Arse nowadays) are testimony to the attraction of this beautiful stone, (in addition to some lead mining).
In the Peak District, fluospar continues to be quarried. It has many uses, from a flux in steelmaking to an ingredient in your toothpaste! Limestone is quarried, and is heavily used as an aggregate in road building, and mixed with shale and burnt, makes cement. Hope cement works provides much useful employment in a locality not renowned for job creation.
The increased and ever increasing demand for aggregates has led to a conflict between those who wish to preserve England's first national park, and the need to provide materials for the road construction industry - and the jobs that go with it. Whilst I am of the opinion that Derbyshire must continue to give up much of its mineral wealth, wholesale destruction of SSIs and sensitive areas of natural beauty cannot be allowed.
... but the vast majority of people cantacting the office were people that had either retired to the Peak or had moved to the Peak from a major city to escape the busy urban life, yet still worked in the city...
The increased and ever increasing demand for aggregates has led to a conflict between those who wish to preserve England's first national park, and the need to provide materials for the road construction industryIrony - my favourite :hihi: Not in my backyard :roll:
Ally_Fraser 27-02-2007, 08:08 I got the distinct impression that none of the callers ever thought that the local long term residents of the Peak, people that had lived there all their life, were dependant on the support economy of the quarries and farming in the Peak...
But the Peak District is a theme park. Why should the locals, who have lived and worked there all their lives matter, so long as there's a nice view for Granny to see on her sunday trip out?
People really have to understand that not all of us depend on tourism for our livings - we've as much right to earn a living as anyone else in the country.
theripsaw 27-02-2007, 09:22 But the Peak District is a theme park. Why should the locals, who have lived and worked there all their lives matter, so long as there's a nice view for Granny to see on her sunday trip out?
People really have to understand that not all of us depend on tourism for our livings - we've as much right to earn a living as anyone else in the country.
The area should be preserved as it is for future generations. The fact people live there and need to work should be irrelevant - commute like the millions of others. WHy destruct what cannot be replaced just because it suits for now? A quarry doesnt generate that many jobs in fact.
The area should be preserved as it is for future generations. The fact people live there and need to work should be irrelevant - commute like the millions of others. WHy destruct what cannot be replaced just because it suits for now? A quarry doesnt generate that many jobs in fact.
Most areas like the peaks or the lakes are working areas that only look like they do now because of industry or intensive farming. We then decide that they shouldn't change and should remain static as they looked in 1800/1900/1950/1980 [delete as applicable]. Whilst there needs to be a certain amount of restriction, without industry and change they just become places that people that people reside who are from the city but who can afford to live outside the city.
I think one of the problems with the quarry at Longstone Edge is the pretext under which it's getting the limestone out.
My understanding is they have permission to quarry for Fluorspar, and they can use the limestone that is removed to get access to this. The thing is, they are removing far more limestone than is warranted, which means they are actually quarrying the limestone.
The other arguments regarding the visual impact and local employment are more complicated points in many ways, but the area is a national park and has been for rather a long time, so all the locals should understand that visual impact plays an important role in the area.
I live very close to the quarry that flooded Stoney Middleton not long ago, and I'm not sure many locals are happy about the management of that quarry.
Most areas like the peaks or the lakes are working areas that only look like they do now because of industry or intensive farming. We then decide that they shouldn't change and should remain static as they looked in 1800/1900/1950/1980 [delete as applicable]. Whilst there needs to be a certain amount of restriction, without industry and change they just become places that people that people reside who are from the city but who can afford to live outside the city.
It's true that what we think of as "natural landscape" is far from it, or the entire country would still be covered by trees. People who live in the Peaks have to make a living, they are not just there to sell ice-cream and Blue John trinkets, they actually have families to feed and bills to pay like us.
|
|