Based on and photos from: IndyMedia
The Nine Ladies protest site, set up in 1999 to stop a proposed 3.2million tonnes being extracted fromt the beautiful and historically important Peak District National Park, is about to be evicted allowing the destruction of 30 hectares of land. Get down and help protect the site - more details by SMS to 0700 5942212 (SMS highly prefered to phone calls for non-urgent calls).
Marshalls (see below) won their repossession order in court on 22 Jan. The Sheriff was with them and they could begin eviction as soon as they get their warrant which could be in as little as 24 hours (ie now!). They have their climbers and security crews ready. This information has come direct from site. Your help is needed now!
On 12 December 2003 Stancliffe Stone, a subsidiary of Marshalls PLC submitted a scheme for working the quarries at Endcliffe and Lees Cross to the Peak District National Park Authority, PDNPA. They want to extract 3.2 million tons of rock from a 12.95 hectare site within 100m of the Nine Ladies Stone Circle. The resultant scar will be 100m deep, devastating the environment of this treasured site for ever.
The 4000 year old Iron Age Stone Circle, Nine Ladies, has over the 20th Century been threatened by quarrying. Lees Cross and Endcliffe are old dormant quarries lying on the eastern moorside near the stones.
1952: Stancliffe Obtains Lease of Mineral Rights to Endcliffe and Lees Cross Quarries from landowner, the Duke of Rutland, Haddon Hall. The Quarries are given planning consent because of the pressing need for postwar building materials.
1995:Under the environment act Lees Cross and Endcliffe are declared dormant (inactive). The operator is NOT allowed to work a dormant quarry unless working practices have been agreed with the PDNPA. Stancliffe is given time to disagree with this decision and does not do so.
1999:Stancliffe make a submission to agree working practices and reopen the quarries. The submission meets widespread opposition and is cannot considered because the environmental impact assessment is not adequate. Nine Ladies Anti-Quarry Campaign, a protest site situated in the quarries themselves is set up.
2001:Stancliffe is bought out by the much larger Marshalls PLC
2003:Marshalls submit a new scheme for working, with the necessary paperwork, to reopen the quarries and extract 3.2 million tons of rock. If the PDNPA revokes the existing consent, they may be liable compensation equal to the market value of the stone. There is no way the authority can come up with this sum which could be more than £100 million.
Lees Cross and Endliffe are dormant quarries: Marshalls have hired a barrister to claim that the quarries should be classed as active. Even though this is blatantly untrue, if this view was upheld in law the PDNPA would be restricted in what working conditions it could impose on the quarry.
As part of the lease agreement, the landowner, Lord Edward Manners, receives £30 for each ton of rock extracted. If the quarry goes ahead Haddon Hall will make around £100 million. This raises a serious question: as an example of British aristocracy, should the Duke of Rutland, pocket £100m for sitting back and letting the land around this ancient site be destroyed? Or as a landowner, should he bite the bullet and protect the land that he owns? We leave you to make your own mind up...