Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
At cracking point over reopened quarry site
Family homes damaged by blasts
TWO families have told how their dreams – and homes – have been shattered by a quarry.
Fishquarter Quarry in Co Down lay abandoned for more than 40 years and several families spent hundreds of thousands building houses nearby.
But a private contractor moved in to Kircubbin in April 2016 and organised an explosion at the site that cracked through the house walls.
Residents said they feel let down by officials who let it go ahead without any environmental impact statements. Coulter’s Hill resident John Drennan said: “This has left us feeling horrendous.
“November will be one year from the blast that damaged the house and every time we go to court there’s a review to push it down the line. It has turned our lives upside down. It’s soul destroying.”
John and his wife Sharon are fighting the quarry operator for damages of more than £20,000. Building contractor Michael O’prey and fiancee Nadine had just moved in before the quarry blast left their home with “significant structural damage”. They said: “It’s hard for us to talk about it.”
As well as three explosions, the families say they have to deal with a stream of heavy machinery, dust and noise.
Friends of the Earth NI director James Orr said: “The community of Fishquarter have suffered too much and far too long.”
Ards and North Down Council said: “The council determined, as of 1 February 2017, that the quarry benefits from a planning permission granted on 19 May 1967 which permits ‘the use of the land for quarrying purposes’.”