Timeline of events on Longstone Edge

1952 - planning permission granted by Minister of Housing and Local Government allows for "the winning and working of fluorspar and barytes and for the working of lead and any other minerals which are won in the course of working those minerals, by turning over old spoil dumps, by opencast working and by underground mining."

At the time, the permission covered 155 hectares of Longstone Edge, including land at Backdale and Wagers Flat.

1989 - concern was raised over the scale and extent of limestone extraction and processing at Backdale.

1998 - after protracted negotiations and threat of enforcement action the then operator ceased work. A Review of Old Mineral Permission (ROMP) application was determined. Landowner Bleaklow Industries Ltd sought a judicial review. The High Court quashed the Authority’s determination. The ROMP remains undetermined, awaiting further information from the applicant.

July 2003 - Bleaklow Industries Ltd leased the site to a new minerals operator, MMC Mineral Processing Ltd, who began quarrying at Backdale.

November 2004 - the Authority concluded that limestone was being extracted beyond the scope of the 1952 permission, and issued an enforcement notice. Appeals were lodged by both the landowner and operator.

January 2006 - the Authority served a stop notice at Backdale as development was causing serious damage to the landscape.

March 2006 - the Planning Inspectorate advised that based on recent case law the Authority’s enforcement notice was a nullity (not valid).

May 2006 - new enforcement and stop notices served.
According to figures supplied by the companies, between July 2003 and December 2005, 573,963 tonnes of limestone were sold from Backdale. Only 11,500 tonnes of fluorspar were extracted in that time.

June 2006 - the companies appealed against the Authority’s latest enforcement action. Operations ceased in the area covered by the stop notice.

July 2006 - operations by MMC Mineral Processing Ltd started at Wagers Flat – also on Longstone Edge and covered by the same 1952 planning permission.

February 2007 - a 10-day public inquiry into operations at Backdale was held at Calver Village Hall. The Authority and companies each presented their case and the Friends of the Peak District and the Save Longstone Edge Group gave evidence to the inquiry.

April 2007 - the Planning Inspector, following the public inquiry, upheld the Authority’s enforcement notice, with amendments.

May 2007 - the Authority served an enforcement notice at Wagers Flat, requiring the cessation of "winning and working of limestone other than the working of such limestone as is won in the course of working fluorspar and barytes" and the cessation of "exportation from the land of limestone other than limestone won in the course of working fluorspar and barytes." This was accompanied by a stop notice.

June 2007 - the companies appealed against the Wagers Flat enforcement notice. A public inquiry is subsequently scheduled for May 2008 (subject to confirmation of the validity of the enforcement notice).

July 2007 - the Backdale stop notice was withdrawn as a result of the Planning Inspector’s enforcement notice amendments in his public inquiry decision.

September 2007 - mineral working resumed at Backdale.

November 2007 - the High Court gave permission to Bleaklow Industries Ltd to appeal against the Planning Inspector’s decision on Backdale.

January 2008 - the Authority served a stop notice at Backdale, requiring cessation of "the winning of limestone other than in the course of working fluorspar and barytes" and cessation of "working of limestone except that which is secondary and subordinate to the working of fluorspar and barytes."

February 2008 - a Planning Inspector confirms the Authority’s enforcement notice on Wagers Flat is not null.

27 - 29 February 2008 - appeal against the Inspector’s decision on the 2007 Backdale public inquiry heard in the High Court, London.

1 April 2008 - written transcript of the High Court judgement received. The judge allowed the appeal. He did not accept the Planning Inspector's decision, and did not agree with either the Inspector's or the National Park Authority's interpretation of the original 1952 planning permission.

10 April 2008 - stop notices withdrawn at Backdale and Wagers Flat. Enforcement notice withdrawn at Wagers Flat.

18 April 2008 - the Authority decides to seek permission to appeal (to the Court of Appeal) against the High Court decision

28 July 2008 - permission granted to appeal against the High Court decision.