Safety fears over old quarry

Concerned MSP writes to experts

Stirling MSP Bruce Crawford has raised serious questions with Health and Safety Executive (HSE) regarding the discontinued quarry at Cowiehall.

The quarry has been operated by Patersons of Greenoakhill for 29 years, but was recently said to be coming to the end of its working life.

Stirling Council has since been notified by HSE that they had no further interest in the matter.

But it is understood that council officers don’t share the same view, and have called for assurances on the safety of the site between Throsk and Cowie.

Mr Crawford has himself written to the chief executive of HSE, calling for clarity on any inspection work that has been carried out, and that the site has been left safe. The MSP has also asked for details on security arrangements for the site.

Mr Crawford said: “This is a clear concern for the local area, and it is crucial that discontinued sites such as this are made safe for the public.

“I understand that it is the view of council officers that HSE still have a role to play in providing these assurances.

“I have therefore called on HSE to answer some basic questions on what inspections they have conducted and what the security arrangements are for the site.

“Local people will be anxious to know what these arrangements are, and who is taking responsibility.

“I hope to receive a detailed response to my letter as soon as possible.”

At a recent meeting of the council’s environment and housing committee in November, Bannockburn ward councillor Alasdair Macpherson said he had heard that once materials stopped being extracted from the site there might be one person there on daily basis to look after it.

He added: “My concern is that floods are going to start at the embankment at the back of Cowie so I do have concerns about public safety.”

Senior infrastructure manager Brian Roberts gave assurances that the planning service would continue to monitor the quarry, adding that there was a role to play for both HSE and SEPA.

He added: “There is still a bit of operation going on so there is nothing to suggest any major issue, but we will continue to keep members informed.”

A Stirling Council spokesperson said this week: “We can confirm that we wrote to the Health and Safety Executive on December 6, expressing our view on who has responsibility for the quarry and to seek assurances on its safety and security.”

An HSE spokesperson said on Monday: “HSE has today received the letter and we are looking into the matter. We cannot comment further at this time.”

Patersons have applied for the removal of a condition attached to their planning approval in 1998 which stopped them from importing waste material into the site.

Their original permission required the site to be restored to agricultural land once quarrying came to an end.

It was originally expected there would be enough infill material on the site itself but the company have since claimed there will be a shortfall, meaning material would have to be brought in to complete the restoration.

The quarry has been the focus of a Court of Session case by three local councillors in an attempt to unravel a mistake by a council officer in the handling of a planning matter relating to the quarry.