Longstone Edge
Encyclopedia
Longstone Edge is a limestone ridge in the Peak District
National Park, in Derbyshire
, England
.
Longstone Edge is situated to immediately to the north of the village of Great Longstone
, which is in turn about 3km north of the town of Bakewell
. It runs from east to west for about 6km, from the village of Calver
to the River Wye at Monsal Dale
and is about 1km wide. It rises to about 390m (1300ft) and commands far-reaching views over the Peak District.
It has been, and is, intensively quarried for galena, fluorspar and barytes, and more controversially, limestone
. Since Longstone Edge is a noted beauty spot and is located within the Peak District National Park there is strong local pressure for the quarrying to stop altogether.
Some of this quarrying is strictly controlled by the Peak District National Park Authority, but the Authority has been conducting a lengthy legal battle to try to stop other quarries (at Backdale and Wager's Flat) which are operating outside of the authority's guidelines.
In February 2008 the High Court ruled in favour of landowner Bleaklow Industries Ltd, and quarrying at Backdale quarry has resumed. The Peak District National Park Authority has now won permission to appeal against that High Court decision. In the meantime, a consortium of pressure groups is campaigning to have the Government buy out the old mineral mining permissions from the landowner.
On the 10th and 11th February 2009, the previous High Court ruling in favour of the Landowner and Operator of Backdale Quarry was overturned by three appeal judges, and although it still allowed the quarrying to continue, the ruling ensured that the original 1952 permission would be interpreted correctly, with the emphasis on fluorspar rather than limestone.
Bleaklow Industries requested leave to appeal, but this request was denied on 25th June 2009.
The operator of Backdale Quarry, MMC Minerals(Midlands)Ltd, on 9th April 2009, was ordered by an HMRC tribunal to pay aggregate duty for the hundreds of thousands of tonnes of limestone it illegally removed from Longstone Edge.
In July 2009, quarrying ceased at Backdale Quarry, and the machinery was removed. However, Bleaklow Industries still own land covered by 1952 permissions on Longstone Edge, and there will always be the threat that they could start the whole process over again at Wagers Flat and Peak Pasture, with equally damaging consequences.
Peak District
The Peak District is an upland area in central and northern England, lying mainly in northern Derbyshire, but also covering parts of Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Staffordshire, and South and West Yorkshire....
National Park, in Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Longstone Edge is situated to immediately to the north of the village of Great Longstone
Great Longstone
Great Longstone with Little Longstone is one of two villages in the local government district of Derbyshire Dales in Derbyshire, England.-History:...
, which is in turn about 3km north of the town of Bakewell
Bakewell
Bakewell is a small market town in the Derbyshire Dales district of Derbyshire, England, deriving its name from 'Beadeca's Well'. It is the only town included in the Peak District National Park, and is well known for the local confection Bakewell Pudding...
. It runs from east to west for about 6km, from the village of Calver
Calver
Calver is a village in Derbyshire, England.-Overview:Calver is a small village situated in the Derwent Valley, Derbyshire. The village is bordered by the River Derwent and intersected by the A623 trunk road, responsible for carrying traffic between Manchester to the west, Sheffield to the north &...
to the River Wye at Monsal Dale
Monsal Dale
Monsal Dale is a valley in the Peak District of Derbyshire in England.In geological history this area of Derbyshire was long ago under water, and is formed from a subsequent uplift of resultant sedimentary deposits, known as the Derbyshire Dome...
and is about 1km wide. It rises to about 390m (1300ft) and commands far-reaching views over the Peak District.
It has been, and is, intensively quarried for galena, fluorspar and barytes, and more controversially, limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
. Since Longstone Edge is a noted beauty spot and is located within the Peak District National Park there is strong local pressure for the quarrying to stop altogether.
Some of this quarrying is strictly controlled by the Peak District National Park Authority, but the Authority has been conducting a lengthy legal battle to try to stop other quarries (at Backdale and Wager's Flat) which are operating outside of the authority's guidelines.
In February 2008 the High Court ruled in favour of landowner Bleaklow Industries Ltd, and quarrying at Backdale quarry has resumed. The Peak District National Park Authority has now won permission to appeal against that High Court decision. In the meantime, a consortium of pressure groups is campaigning to have the Government buy out the old mineral mining permissions from the landowner.
On the 10th and 11th February 2009, the previous High Court ruling in favour of the Landowner and Operator of Backdale Quarry was overturned by three appeal judges, and although it still allowed the quarrying to continue, the ruling ensured that the original 1952 permission would be interpreted correctly, with the emphasis on fluorspar rather than limestone.
Bleaklow Industries requested leave to appeal, but this request was denied on 25th June 2009.
The operator of Backdale Quarry, MMC Minerals(Midlands)Ltd, on 9th April 2009, was ordered by an HMRC tribunal to pay aggregate duty for the hundreds of thousands of tonnes of limestone it illegally removed from Longstone Edge.
In July 2009, quarrying ceased at Backdale Quarry, and the machinery was removed. However, Bleaklow Industries still own land covered by 1952 permissions on Longstone Edge, and there will always be the threat that they could start the whole process over again at Wagers Flat and Peak Pasture, with equally damaging consequences.