Beacons seal off dormant quarries

Eleven old and dormant quarries in the Brecon Beacons National Park in mid Wales have been sealed off to prevent them from reopening.

Officials revoked planning permission for the sites following talks with the Welsh Assembly Government.

The park said in some cases the quarries had not been worked for decades and there was no indication their owners intended to reopen them.

However, planning permission would not have expired until 2042.

Park officials felt this meant there was a danger the quarries could reopen for business.

During the past nine months, Brecon Beacons National Park Authority has submitted prohibition orders to the Welsh Assembly Government in order to revoke the rights to reopen the 11 quarries.

'Public access'

Park officer Ruth Brown said: "Planning permissions for quarrying generally don't expire until 2042 unless an earlier date is specifically stated.

"For us there is always a danger that these old quarries, most of which have mellowed into the landscape over time, could be reopened at any time if the operator applies for the approval of modern planning conditions.

"So, we are really very pleased to see these prohibition orders successfully confirmed by the Welsh Assembly Government."

Park authority chief executive Chris Gledhill added: "The official closure of these 11 quarries is not only good news for the landscape of the park, but also for the wildlife which has colonised these long-disused sites, and for the public at those sites which have public access or are visible from rights of way."

RELATED INTERNET LINKS
Brecon Beacons National Park Authority
Brecon Beacons
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites