Brighouse quarry go-ahead despite more than 100 objections

Marshalls Mono Ltd saw members of Calderdale Council’s Planning Committee back planning officers’ recommendation to approve a set of conditions under which it can operate at Crow Nest Quarries, St Giles Road, Lightcliffe.

Councillors were reminded that they could only decide on the conditions, not the principle of quarrying itself, which was long established.

They heard the quarry had been active since the early 1900s, but residents and ward councillor George Robinson (Con, Hipperholme and Lightcliffe) argued conditions had changed since then and there were now around 400 homes close by.

A spokesman for objectors said he accepted it was an application limited under mineral rights legislation but still thought that was wrong and “vehemently opposed” it.

Conditions had changed significantly from previous decades and large vehicle movement was completely unacceptable.

Marshalls’ application was “beyond comprehension” he said, outlining concerns including noise pollution, the effect of sulphur dust, wear and tear on road potholes and general disruption to everyday life.

Ecologically, “it’s at least 1,000 trees that would be in peril on the site, allied to noxious diesel issues and having a long-term harmful effect on local people,” he said.

Coun Robinson said conditions on operating the quarry came in 1951 when Hove Edge did not exist. Now there were hundreds of homes, three schools – and another three in the area – whose pupils used associated routes like Grassy Lane to get to school.

Sports clubs also used routes associated with the quarry and close attention should be paid to suitable conditions.

An agent for Marshalls said the site, formerly home to Hipperholme Concrete Works, had been temporarily restored in 2006 by the company who had used trees for screening while concrete tipping operations were carried out.

The company felt the conditions planning officers had drafted were satisfactory for the authority to manage the operation, which would realise a wide selection of stone for the building industry to use.

He estimated between two and four wagons a day would take stone from the site.

“It’s going to be a low-impact building stone quarry,” he said.

Councillors had visited the site in the morning and Coun Paul Bellinger (Liberal Democrat, Greetland and Stainland) said he accepted officers’ recommendations due to the hard work and consideration that had gone into drafting them.

The 43 conditions provide controls on the site’s use and restoration when operations cease at a date not later than February 21, 2047.