Autumn decision at earliest on Dales quarrying extension bid

A controversial bid to extract an extra 3.5 million tonnes of gritstone from a Yorkshire quarry over the next 10 years is unlikely to be decided before September.

Lafarge Aggregates Ltd wants to extract the additional gritstone from Dry Rigg Quarry at Helwith Bridge near Settle over an extended 10-and-a-half year life until the end of December 2021.

The firm has applied for full planning permission for the continuation of mineral working until December 2021 by deepening the current extraction area.

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The application includes revised restoration proposals at the site.

Members of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority’s planning committee will be updated on the application next Tuesday.

Under the existing planning permission for quarrying at Dry Rigg and the accompanying legal agreement, working and the sale of minerals has to end no later than May 31.

However a report for the committee advises members that no action be taken in respect of working at the quarry after then and that a full report on the planning application to extend the life of the quarry is made to the committee no later than September.

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The report notes that several matters – including issues raised by those who were consulted and local residents – require further information from the company before a recommendation can be made.

These relate to transporting material from the site including using rail haulage, protecting the Swarth Moor site of special scientific interest, landscaping and restoration and “inconsistencies” in the submitted information.

The report says: “It is clearly not satisfactory for quarrying operations to continue at a site beyond the permitted period, but in this instance it is considered that no action should be taken until the current application has been determined by the committee.

“This should be at the earliest possible date and it is therefore proposed that a full report be made to planning committee not later than the September meeting.

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“Working up to that date would be in reserves covered by the existing planning permission and would not need to extend into new areas.”

Moves to extend the quarry’s life have prompted a mixed reaction; while Settle Town Council has not opposed the bid, others have raised concerns.

Speaking as a local resident and businessman, Steve Amphlett, who is a Settle town councillor, said: “I do not have a problem with them extending the licence; that’s not the issue. I have nothing against the quarry.

“My big issue is the impact the quarry wagons have on the local economy of Settle because we have 400 lorry movements a day from three quarries in Ribblesdale coming through the middle of Settle, right past the market square, through the narrow roads.

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“My view is that that is highly detrimental to the local economy which is more reliant on tourism.”

Mr Amphlett, who stressed he was not speaking as a town councillor, added: “It puts people off coming to the town. There is a route which would allow them (the lorries) to bypass Settle, albeit a few miles longer.

“I do not object to the quarry but I object to the lorries on the basis there’s an alternative route which would have less impact on the local economy.”

Others have welcomed the proposal to a point.

Tom Algie, chair of Settle Chamber of Trade, said: “I think it is a great idea for it to be given permission providing there is some modification on the route of the lorries.

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“That could be something as simple as a one way system so they go through the town in one direction but not the other direction. The quarry does provide local employment and those people spend money in the local shops and local pubs.

“It is good that they want to expand providing that it is not detrimental to the town of Settle.”

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