Brian Dooks
UNANIMOUS approval was granted yesterday for the extraction of 1.1 million tonnes of sand and gravel from a quarry extension within 1,100 yards of what is said to be one of the most important archaeological sites in Britain.
The grantin
g of planning permission allows Tarmac Northern Ltd to extend its Nosterfield Quarry north of Ripon across 76 acres of Ladybridge Farm despite its proximity to the three Thornborough Henges, which experts have described as the Stonehenge of the North.
In February last year, North Yorkshire County Council's planning and regulatory functions committee rejected a larger scheme covering 112 acres after English Heritage said the scheme would destroy archaeology of national importance at a Scheduled Ancient Monument
But, after talks with English Heritage and North Yorkshire's own heritage unit, Tarmac submitted a revised application which omitted the area regarded as having archaeological importance. An appeal against the first decision will now be withdrawn.
The decision was taken despite opposition from the action group The Friends of Thornborough Henges, which was criticised yesterday after accusing the council's officers of submitting a "seriously flawed" and biased report, which was "misleading".
Friends chairman John Lowry told the committee meeting in Masham Town Hall that the revised application was weak and it was impossible to support within current planning policies.
"This is not the opinion of a lay man, but the considered opinion of a QC," he said.
"We would also point out that the North Yorkshire County Council officers' report is seriously flawed, is contradictory to previous advice and demonstrates bias in crucial areas, such that its recommendation to approve the application goes against its own development plans and, in particular, the mineral local plan and in doing so it is misleading this committee."
But the author of the report, Alwyn Shaw, who is shortly to retire as minerals officer after 33 years service, defended its accuracy.
Although the Friends argued that the extension was a 70 per cent increase, Mr Shaw said the true figure was 32 per cent based on the original 1995 permission.
The criticism was rejected before the committee voted unanimously in favour.
Coun Jim Snowball said the professionalism of the council officers had always been beyond reproach.
"I am rather disturbed that the objectors seek to impune their objectivity. It is not acceptable," he said.
At a two hour presentation, members heard that Nosterfield was the largest sand and gravel quarry in North Yorkshire supplying more than 20 per cent of the county's aggregates and putting £2.5m into the local economy annually.
Afterwards, Coun Robert Heseltine, who voted against the 2004 application, moved approval of the revised scheme.
Earlier, consultant archaeologist Steve Timms said the site being considered by the committee had no significant archaeology within its boundary and he added: "The revised extraction area will have no physical impact on Thornborough Henges or any scheduled monument in the area."
After the decision, which safeguards 14 jobs at the quarry and the livelihoods of 40 drivers, Tarmac's estates manager Bob Nicholson said: "May I take this opportunity to reiterate that we are committed to the long-term protection and management of Thornborough Henges.
"The Ladybridge site sees quarrying move further away from the henges than our current operation and there is no planning application for Thornborough Moor."
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Anxious: Workers from the Tarmac Nosterfield Quarry made their point outside as Tarmac's quarry plan was heard. PA
One of the Thornborough Henges. PA
