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News Release
22 February 2008
Enforcement notice on Wagers Flat is not null – Inspector
The Peak District National Park Authority’s enforcement notice against excess limestone operations at Wagers Flat is not null, a planning inspector has decided.
This means that an eight-day public inquiry into operations at the site on Longstone Edge, scheduled to start on May 13, is now likely to go ahead.
Landowner Bleaklow Industries Ltd and quarry operator MMC Mineral Processing Ltd had appealed for the Authority’s enforcement notice, issued in May 2007, to be declared null and void. They argued it did not tell them fairly what they had done wrong and what they must do to remedy it.
But planning inspector Graham Self, after careful consideration of written submissions, decided that in his view it was not a nullity.
In his conclusion he stated that it was not impossible for a reasonable operator “to understand with reasonable certainty the related allegation and requirements of the enforcement notice.”
Authority chair Narendra Bajaria said: “We are pleased that the inspector has concluded our action was not null. This is an important decision which I hope will take us forward to the next stage of a full public inquiry in May.”
Operations began at Wagers Flat in July 2006, following a stop notice served against unauthorised operations at nearby Backdale, owned and operated by the same companies.
Their appeal against last year’s public inquiry decision which upheld the Backdale enforcement notice is due to be heard at the High Court in London on February 27-29.
For more information, go to: www.peakdistrict.gov.uk/longstone-edge
