Woodland restored at Peaks quarries

About two acres of old workings within the Barton Hill and Dungeon quarry sites at Birchover, near Bakewell, will be reshaped and landscaped, after permission was granted by the Peak District National Park Authority’s planning board.

Heather moorland and woodland will be established at Barton hill, while woodland with “grassland glades” will be planted at the Dungeon site.

In total, about 340 trees will be planted including oak, hazel, holly, rowan and blackthorn, while two new footpaths will also be put in.

Meanwhile, old permissions at the nearby Birchover Quarry have been replaced with a new updated policy, due to a decision at the same planning board meeting.

The new permission at the quarry – noted for its distinctive pink gritstone – will allow about 500,000 tonnes of gritstone to be extracted.

At the same time, the quarry company – Birchover Stone Ltd – is giving up rights to work moorland close to the Stanton Moor scheduled monument.

A spokesman for the Peak District National Park Authority said: “The new permission will ensure the long term management of the site, updated standards of working and crucially restoration and landscaping which were not part of the original permission.”

The chairman of the Peak District National Park Authority’s planning committee, Councillor Lesley Roberts, said: “Overall, we believe this development will bring significant long term conservation benefits and enhance the landscape.

“At the same time, the quarry directly employs 20 people, supplies quality building stone particularly for local projects, supports builders and other local businesses including hauliers, and so contributes to sustainable development.”