Superquarry 'trickery' (From Barry And District News)

Superquarry 'trickery'

THE Vale Council's decision on the Wrinston 'superquarry' is again deferred, for further assessment by the Countryside Council.

Because Friends of the Earth were involved in the draft Unitary Development Plan in 1999, I'm able to detail the trickery whereby the Wrinston quarry was inserted as an amendment to the section on Wenvoe quarry in that UDP.

Ours and other public responses to earlier amendments were put to the Development Control Sub-Committee of April 22, 1999 to approve changes that were to go forward to the UDP inquiry starting that June.

Some other amendments called 'minor additional changes' were added to the director's report (Appendix B) and similarly approved by the Sub-committee.

In those 'minor additional changes' one finds:

'Policy Min 2 - Release of Limestone Reserves

Land to the south of Cwm Slade and Wenvoe quarry.'

Apparently there was no supporting document, no report on the suitability, need or urgency. Nor was the Sub-committee qualified to decide such things.

The further decision was that there was no time for public consultation on these further changes, nor even time for approval at full council. They were to be carried through under the Chief Executive's emergency powers.

So when it came to the UDP inquiry, only persons already registered as objectors on the Minerals policies could submit evidence - ie only Friends of the Earth.

The inspector decided simply to go for the council's story, that this was a simple extension to 'allow for the continued production from this important quarry' (quoting the Vale Council).

So in 2004, councillors were told the inspector had approved it in the UDP, so they could not oppose it.

The Community Councils were told they are too late - all statutory processes were met at this stage.

Recent Assembly policies for restricting virgin aggregate quarrying and for protecting ancient woodland count for nothing.

Are we not justified in calling this 'trickery'?

Max Wallis

Barry and Vale Friends of the Earth

Westbourne Road

Penarth