Independent review sees operator cleared of quarry complaints

leslie: Council to hear Skene Group working within agreed limits concerning noise and vibration

Controlled explosions at a controversial Fife quarry are not breaching planning conditions, an independent review has found.

Monitoring of activity at the Lomond Quarry, near Leslie, will return to normal, after operator Skene Group was found to be working within agreed noise and vibration levels.

Residents had complained for many years that blasting at the site was causing excessive vibration and, in some cases, were claiming it was damaging their properties.

However, a report prepared for local councillors has stated that Skene Group is operating within its planning consent, with Fife Council recommended to revert to standard monitoring procedures.

Neil Skene, managing director of Skene Group, said: “We welcome the findings from this independent report.

“As a company, we work hard to ensure compliance with all regulations relating to our business. As a major employer in the local area, we also take our responsibility to the community seriously and have invested more than £1 million on environmentally-friendly machinery and infrastructure in the last year alone.”

Following complaints from residents, an independent review into the quarry was given the go-ahead by Fife Council in 2012.

Vibration and noise levels were checked against those agreed when Skene Group was given planning permission for the quarry, with the report finding the company to be working within the agreed criteria.

The company has repeatedly stated its commitment to working with the local community to resolve problems, despite ill-feeling from a large section of the Leslie population.

In a report prepared for councillors ahead of a meeting of the Glenrothes area committee meeting this morning, Robin Presswood, head of economy and planning at Fife Council, said: “Further independent studies have also been carried out on behalf of Fife Council and these all confirm that the planning conditions and controls are being met and that there are no issues which give rise to any statutory nuisances.

“These studies have covered the structural integrity of the buildings, emissions from the quarry, and the overall compliance of the quarry operations in accordance with the planning consent.”

We welcome the findings from this independent report. As a company, we work hard to ensure compliance with all regulations relating to our business. NEIL SKENE

People living near Lomond Quarry complained that blasting was causing excessive vibration.