Hearing date set for quarry appeal
Traffic impact among key factors under focus
A date has been set for an appeal hearing into the controversial quarrying proposals for Gillies Hill near Cambusbarron.
Scottish Ministers, through the Scottish Government’s Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA) are currently considering an appeal made to them by Paterson’s Quarries for the development.
The appointed reporter decided a hearing session should be held to help him consider the appeal. This will now begin on Tuesday November 22.
While the proceedings are expected to be completed in one day, November 23 is also being held in reserve and an accompanied site inspection is also being planned for that day.
Among the matters to be considered at the hearing include: the current planning status of the site and the relevance of a forthcoming review of the mineral permission; and the implications of two operators being involved in mineral extraction simultaneously.
Also under consideration will be: the significance and justification for the three potential levels of annual extraction identified by the council for assessment as well as the traffic impact approval could have on the immediate and surrounding areas.
However the report is also seeking for conditions to be looked at, adding: “It would be helpful if the appellant and the planning authority could discuss potential conditions with a view to reaching agreement where possible.”
Paterson’s Quarries Ltd is seeking permission to continue quarrying, create a new access road and public car park including restoration proposals at Murrayshall Quarry at Polmaise Road to Carron Reservoir.
Part of the site already has planning permission for quarrying until 2042 subject to ROMP (Review of Old Mineral Permissions) but has not been operational since 1996.
There are, however, areas within the application site that do not have consent for quarrying.
The application has attracted 1077 objections, including from Torbrex, Kings Park and Cambusbarron community councils, Stirling Civic Trust, Stirling High School Parent Council and other local and national organisations.
In August Stirling Council’s planning panel formally opposed the quarrying proposals and asked for a public inquiry into the bid.
Given the applicant had, however, already appealed to the Scottish Government over the council’s nondetermination of the application to that date, the decision was by then not the council’s to make.
Local objectors had been unhappy with how much of the detail of their own extensive research had been taken into consideration by the council for use in the appeals process, feeling much of it had been ignored as the council’s planning panel had refused the application on the grounds that the applicant had not submitted enough detailed information.
The panel, however, was later asked by the DPEA to clarify what matters it felt should be subject of an inquiry session.
At a meeting in September members decided that key matters should be traffic, environmental health, environmental issues and the demonstration of the need for further extraction at the site, reflecting some of the main concerns of local objectors such as the Save Gillies Hill Campaign.
Officers were also asked to update Cambusbarron Community Council.
* A litter pick will take place on Gillies Hill on Saturday, October 22, starting at 10am from the garages.