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NSC Home Page > EUAS Contents > Sheet B5 (National Park)
Appendices
MODULE: THE LIMESTONE INQUIRY, 21ST CENTURY
Sheet B5 (National Park)
Representatives of the National Park Authority
You represent the National Park Authority, which has refused permission for RQH to extend their quarry. At the Inquiry, you will need to present your arguments supporting your refusal.
You and the other representatives should first read this briefing. Then discuss the arguments you will put forward in a three-minute presentation at the Inquiry. You may want to elect a single person to speak, or share it between you.
The main points of your case
Your main concern is to preserve the natural beauty, scenery and wildlife of the National Park.
You accept that some quarrying may be necessary. The quarry produces very pure limestone which is needed by the chemical industry. However, you argue that the needs of the chemical industry can be met from the present quarry for many years.
You consider that the extension is only required because too much limestone is being used as aggregate for road building and concrete. Limestone for road building and concrete can be found outside the National Park. The figures (Table 1) show that over half the limestone output from National Park quarries is being used as aggregate for road building.
Even if you lose the Inquiry, and permission for the extension is given, you feel there should be strict conditions. There should be conditions on the area of working and landscaping, and restoration when the quarry is worked out and on how much can be used on aggregates.
You are convinced that there is no need to take a decision quickly. A long-term plan for the extraction of limestone in the whole area surrounding the National Park should be developed. Until this is done, no further permission for quarrying in the National Park should be granted.
Your case is supported by two government agencies: English Nature and the Countryside Agency. English Nature advises that quarrying could change the groundwater system causing some neighbouring valleys to dry up. The Countryside Agency is totally opposed to quarrying in National Parks.
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
Aggregates
4.5
4.7
4.1
3.7
3.4
3.4
3.1
5.0
4.7
3.1
3.4
4.5
Industrial Uses
4.1
3.5
2.5
2.4
2.6
2.7
2.2
2.7
3.6
2.6
3.1
3.3
Total
8.6
8.2
6.6
6.1
6.0
6.1
5.3
7.7
8.3
5.7
6.5
7.8
Table 1 Limestone sales from National Park / million tonnes