Rivington Against Greenbelt Exploitation RAGE

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Rivington Against Greenbelt ExploitationRAGE

• Public Meeting
• March 22nd 2011

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Agenda

1. Introductions
2. Thank You
3. What is this Quarry stuff all about? - The Grand
   Plan
4. Situation update
5. What do we want?
6. What can we do?
7. We need your help!

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Introductions

• Armstrongs representatives ??
• Press
• Council Officials
• BHEAG - Blackrod Horwich Environmental Action
  Group
• RAGE - Rivington Against Greenbelt Exploitation

www.RivingtonRage.org
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Thank You

• All for attending RMI for hosting - drinks
• BHEAG , Montcliffe RA, Arcon RA, Horwich Moor RA
• Their work so far
• Helpers
• Many people who delivered almost 10,000 leaflets
• Dan for organising the leaflet drop
• Lizz for all the email updates
• Rich for setting up website
• Conrad for printing 5,000 of the leaflets
  helping with design
• Warren for setting up the charitable status
• Others who have provided information, put up the
  poster, written to Bolton Council, talked to
  council officials, done questionnaires, spread
  the word etc..

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Where are the Quarries?
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Rivington Pike
Montcliffe Pilkington Quarries
APPROVED Pilkington Quarry Extension
Georges Lane
Chorley Old Road
M 61
Chorley New Road
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The Grand Plan

• Montcliffe and Pilkington Quarries are both
  operated by Armstrongs
• Obvious concerns (fires, smells, fines) not
  relevant to planning
• Recent Environmental conviction IS relevant to
  planning (appeal)
• Create a huge recycling and waste tip facility
• Knock through between Montcliffe Pilkington
  creates mega quarry
• The mega quarry may create the very special
  circumstances required for Greenbelt development
• Cannot be achieved in one planning permission
• Over-development in green belt
• Smaller step by step planning applications used
  instead

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Armstrongs

• We are NOT fighting Armstrongs, we ARE seeking a
  planning process that considers planning law, the
  environment and local residents. Its true that
  we wouldnt choose him as a neighbour - as his
  companies do seem to excel at upsetting people!
• Bolton News reported in Jan 2011 - Armstrongs
  found guilty of
• Breaching environmental permit
• Failing to comply with an enforcement notice
• Two day trial at Bolton Magistrates Court - the
  court heard
• Waste on Armstrongs land had not been correctly
  stored
• Could pollute water or cause a smell
• Armstrongs pleaded Not Guilty to two charges and
  said
• The Environment Agency official lied
• There was no smell!
• We understand that Armstrongs intend to appeal
  this decisions

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Contaminated Unstable Buttress
APPROVED extension to Pilkington
Stone to be removed between 2 quarries
Montcliffe to be used for HUGE recycling
facility
Pilkington to be used for dumping material that
cant be recycled
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Evidence for Stone Aggregates

• Greater Manchester Joint Minerals Development
  Plan
• Submission from Armstrongs Representatives (MPG
  Minerals Planning Group) 18th Dec 2009
• We would like to nominate Pilkington Quarry
  extension area and possible land between
  Montcliffe and Pilkington Quarries as specific
  sites for consideration.
• NOTE
• Since then Pilkington Extension has been approved
  but we are seeking a Judicial Review (JR)
• Any big hole made by quarrying can then be filled
  up again by waste. Both quarries operated by a
  waste managment company.

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Evidence Waste 1

• Greater Manchester Joint Waste Development Plan
• MPG submission - 22nd Dec 2009
• Please find enclosed two potential waste sites
  Montcliffe Quarry Pilkington Quarry to be
  considered in your production of the Greater
  Manchester Waste Development Plan
• Both rejected - No NEW greenbelt facilities
  considered
• However if planning permission is given by
  Bolton Council for a waste facility it can then
  be considered by Greater Manchester Waste

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Evidence Waste 2

• Potential Facility State of the art materials
  recovery park waste recycling station
• Capacity Potential to recycle over 1 million
  tonnes of material p.a. Based on traffic numbers
  of 200 in and 200 out per day
• 400 HGV movements ON TOP of Pilkington Quarry
  lorries!!!!
• Environment Agency state Chorley New Road
  recycled 70 thousand tonnes in 2008
• 14 times less than this proposal!
• 400 HGV movements also assumes no vehicles leave
  empty very unlikely, so the actual figure could
  potentially double
• Bolton council have already been approached
  with the concept of this recycling facility which
  was considered to potentially have merit. (Dec
  2009)

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Evidence Waste 3

• Proposed potential waste types
• Construction demolition waste Dust, noise
• Green plant matter composting Smell, dust
• Metal Noise
• Cardboard Dust, fire hazard
• Co-mingled materials Plastic metal bottles,
  cans, containers
• Cars Pollution, fire, noise
• Timber Fire

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Green plant matter composting
Timber Recycling
Green plant matter store
Car Recycling
Co-mingled materials
Lorry Park
Metal Cardboard
Container storage Car Parking
Waste Transfer Station
Visitor Centre !
Security, Weighbridge Transport Office
Main Offices Welfare!
Fuel farm pumps
Vehicle workshop, Lorry Wash
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Evidence Waste 4

• The restoration of this site Pilkington Quarry
  offers an infill opportunity. If approval can be
  granted for an extension to the quarry this would
  increase the void and capacity of the site.
• Shows importance of blocking current planning
  consent (JR)
• Capacity 2.5 million cubic metre void space
  (including extension area), which would hold 4.5
  million tonnes of inert CD construction
  demolition inert only material.

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Planning Permissions
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Planning Applications Update

• 80931/08 Rejected Oct 2009 Appeal withdrawn
  Jan 2011
• 83299/09 Granted Oct 2010 Judicial Review
  Quashed
• 83999/09 Granted Oct 2010 Judicial Review -
  Quashed
• 84065/10 Granted Jan 2011 Judicial Review
• Question Do we have the support funds to
  continue ?

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Judicial Review (JR)

• Legal review of planning decisions in the courts
• Plus Objective, only planning issues relevant,
  gives us a voice
• Minus Expensive, so we do need your financial
  support
• This only cancels the decision - the applicant
  can re apply
• Buxtons Solicitors Environmental Public Law
  Specialists
• Threat of JR and strength of case led to 2
  planning permissions being quashed
• Solicitor funded by some local residents bheag
• Donations please
• JR against Pilkington Extension is currently
  being contested by Bolton Council

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Judicial Review (JR)

• Why are we having go through this process? Is it
  because ...
• Bolton Council would receive revenue from the
  quarries?
• The same organisation that advises Bolton Council
  on locations for waste, also advises on whether
  mineral permissions should be approved? (Urban
  Vision)
• The Council would really like Armstrong to move
  away from the Loco works so the 1600 homes can be
  built?
• They are already spending large sums on the
  Chorley Old Road retaining wall in preparation
  for all the HGVs?

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Montcliffe Quarry

• Was run well by Hansons and ARC and due to close
  in 2011
• Low level restoration to commence after closure
• Consent was only awarded after applicant stated
  they would not ask for a further extension.
• Operation transferred from Hanson to GCN LTD
• Registered at Armstrongs on Chorley New Road
• Extraction end date is 21st September 2011
• Armstrongs have indicated they will apply for
  extension for extracting for up to 10 years
• We want current end date restoration plans to
  be honoured

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The Fence!

• Minor point compared to major planning issues!
• Current sighting colour shows contempt of the
  visual environment concerns of residents
• Armstrongs have verbally committed to move
  sighting of fence paint green!
• No statement so far on planned extent of fencing

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Our Action
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What do we want?

• We want to stop the Quarries in Rivington
  Greenbelt becoming a giant waste processing
  centre and waste dump!
• We want planning applications to receive proper,
  lawful fair assessment
• We want the voice of local residents to be
  properly heard
• We dont want hundreds of HGVs every day
• Through the centre of Horwich local road
  network
• Past a school, church, leisure centre and houses
• We want Bolton Council Armstrongs come clean
  about their long term plans for Montcliffe
  Pilkington quarries

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More Public Support Please
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What can we do? - Inspiration
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What can we do? - Nothing Illegal!

• Quarry row firm warns people not to trespass -
  Bolton News - 1st February 2011
• Bosses at Armstrongs Environmental Services say
  they have had reports that two men trespassed on
  the firms land on January 20 and took
  photographs of the site. Presume Montcliffe
  Quarry but not specified. A spokesman claims one
  of the men was aggressive to a disabled member of
  staff when he was confronted.
• Company chiefs have insisted trespassing will not
  be tolerated and have sent a solicitors letter
  to local organisations warning them of the
  consequences.
• Not only is there an extreme risk of injury to
  those persons trespassing, it is also against the
  law. The quarries are monitored by 24-hour
  security and any such persons found on the site
  without authority will be reported to the police
  and a prosecution will be sought. In addition, if
  our client suffers any damage as a result of
  those persons trespassing on site, our client may
  take action through the civil courts for
  sufficient recompense to be made.
• We would be grateful if you could inform your
  members that any unauthorised persons found on
  site will be reported immediately to the relevant
  authorities.

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What can we do? - Visibility

• Raise the profile showing support
• STOP the QUARRY - Window Poster
• RAGE Badge (min 10 donation)
• Other ideas / contributions welcome e.g.
• Garden / field posters
• Hats, t-shirts etc
• Events
• Volunteers

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What can we do? Gaining Support

• Getting Organised
• Charitable status RAGE
• Hundreds of Email subscribers Facebook
  followers
• Thousands of bheag website visitors
• RivingtonRage.org website set up

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What can we do? Petition

• Target at least 4,000 signatures
• Really get us noticed
• Friends, relatives, neighbours, colleagues ...
• Easter Weekend Petition (Volunteers)
• Good Friday Easter Pike Fair (22nd April)
• Easter Saturday - Rivington Pike Race (23rd
  April)
• 4,000 signatures means petition has to receive a
  full council debate (200 sheets)

• The people of Horwich surrounding areas demand
  a voice in major planning decisions that will
  impact their lives for decades
• Please take some with you get them filled in

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What can we do? - Fundraising

• Cheques payable to.. Rivington Against Greenbelt
  Exploitation
• PayPal on RivingtonRage.org website
• Gift Aid details fill in form after the meeting
• Almost 10,000 already contributed by individuals
  local residents associations in last 2 years
  mainly legal bills
• 1,500 raised in last 10 days - brilliant!
• 4,500 needed by end March to get Judicial Review
  to court
• More needed if taken to court
• Last time Bolton Council backed down
• More funds required for ongoing legal battles
  campaign

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We Need Your Help?

• Be there Turn up, sign up to emails, show
  poster
• Help out Petition, leaflets protest letters
  
• Get Involved Time, skills, organising
• Financial Support
• Some have given gt thousands, some hundreds
  all welcome!
• No time-wasters please!
• We are not short of ideas, arguments, concerns,
  things to complain about etc...
• We ARE short of time, expertise, finance
• Please dont commit to something you cannot do!

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We need your help

• Treasurer Proper accounting of all funds raised
  spent
• Expertise Legal, Planning, Environmental
• Photographs Photos of lorries on Chorley Old
  Road etc causing a nuisance
• Or - scenic pictures of Georges Lane West
  Pennine Moors
• Research Reading documents, finding issues,
  errors inconsistencies e.g. WPM
• Documents Evidence of promises / commitments
  made by prior quarry operators
• Campaigners Organise support, leaflet drops
• Fund Raisers Coordinate donations, fund
  raising events
• Administration Follow up meetings, coordinate
  volunteers etc...
• Supporters Who do you know? Neighbours, interest
  groups e.g. Cyclists, fell runners, horse
  riders, ramblers or famous people
• Please let us know of any expertise you have that
  could be useful

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What can we do?

• Try and defeat each quarry planning permission
• Environmental issues water, waste, noise, dust,
  visual impact
• Traffic movements hundreds of HGVs through
  Horwich
• Green belt
• Removal of public footpaths
• Planning process
• Judicial review
• Let Bolton Council know we mean business wont
  go away
• Hearts Minds Save Rivington the West
  Pennine Moors !

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Next Steps

• Regular meetings to keep all up to date
• Judicial Review for recently approved planning
• ACTIONS
• Please volunteer to help
• Fundraising donate min 10 for a badge WEAR
  IT!
• Display STOP the QUARRY
• Continue Georges Lane questionnaire for PR
  research
• Next meeting in May - TBC
• Easter Weekend - Petition
• Good Friday Easter Pike Fair (22nd April)
• Easter Saturday - Rivington Pike Race (23rd
  April)

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What Now?

• Stay after for...
• Drinks at the bar
• (support RMI who have supported this meeting)
• Donations, badges gift aid forms Table A
• Pick up Petitions Posters Table B
• Offer of help Information Table C

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End of Presentation