Quarry plan looks set to be blasted by High Priestess

Feb 1 2008 by Peter Collins, South Wales Echo

PROTESTS from a Druid High Priestess may have helped to blocked controversial plans to blast a limestone quarry at woodland in the Vale.

The scheme by Cemex Ltd, based at Wenvoe Quarry, near Cardiff, centres on land at Wrinstone Farm, south of the quarry.

“It involves quarrying limestone at the site, which includes part of the Cwm Slade woodland.

The plan also involves building a conveyor link and haul road across Cwm Slade to link the new quarry with Wenvoe Quarry.

“A temporary mobile crusher and other plant would also be installed, and the land would be restored to its original state once quarrying had finished.

Conservationists, local AMs, and a host of other groups and individuals, including the Druid High Priestess of the Avebury Druidic Society, have objected to the scheme on the grounds that it would ruin the woodland, create too much noise, disturb wildlife and create more traffic.

In a letter to the planning committee, Druid Wynter Sylph said: “The proposed plan is a disgrace.

“You cannot just simply wade in and bulldoze what appear to be 700 year-old species of plants, plus rare wildlife, including otters, badgers and other species not normally seen in the UK.”

Vale of Glamorgan councillors will hold an extraordinary meeting of the planning committee on Monday to discuss the application. Planning officers have recommended refusal of the scheme on the grounds it would damage the environment and the company had failed to demonstrate that there was no alternative to the scheme.

Vale AM Jane Hutt said the scheme would “have a detrimental effect on the tranquil rural environment”.

Fellow AM David Melding said it would “disturb the quality of life of residents and be unsightly and intrusive”.

A spokesman for the Woodland Trust said: “The proposal would result in the loss of a semi-natural ancient woodland and have a major impact on biodiversity.”

Similar objections were made by the Ramblers’ Association, Dinas Powys and Michaelston-le-Pit Civic Society and the Barry and Vale Friends of the Earth.

Reserves at the existing quarry are expected to be exhausted by the end of 2013. If approval for this scheme was granted the quarry would be expected to be working by 2012 with an estimated one million tonnes of limestone extracted a year for about eight years.

peter.collins@mediawales.co.uk