FRIENDS SUPPORT NEW DEAL FOR STANTON MOOR

Quarrying threats that have hung over Stanton Moor may soon be resolved say Friends of the Peak District (FPD), the National Park Society who are campaigning with the local community to save the Moor. On Friday (15 June), new proposals are being put before the National Park Authority’s Planning Committee that should see the threat of re-opening the dormant quarry at Endcliffe and Lees Cross, near Stanton Lees, removed forever.

Previously the local community and FPD criticised the deal being offered by the quarry company, Stancliffe Stone, which involved an exchange of the dormant quarry for a 1.3 million tonne extension at their nearby Dale View Quarry.

After the Park’s Planning Committee were minded to refuse the original deal, the community and FPD entered further negotiations with Stancliffe and a compromise deal has now emerged which is now recommended for approval.

We view this new deal as a victory for common sense: part of a greenfield site has been saved, less stone will be quarried and the daily lorry quotas have been reduced, said Andy Tickle, Head of Planning at the Friends. Most importantly of all, the threat of a huge quarry within a stone’s throw of Stanton Moor and the Nine Ladies Stone Circle will be lifted - this is a tremendous result after nearly eight years of local campaigning.

The Planning Committee is also being asked to decide on two further Stanton quarry applications by Blockstone who wish to extend their New Pilhough site and build a new haul road for quarry lorries. FPD and the local community are implacably opposed to both proposals and will be supporting the planners’ recommendations that both are refused permission on Friday.