Mary Towneley Loop Section Under Threat

dave_hill

Rochdale Borough Council has received a planning application in respect of D. P. Williams Holdings Ltd, who wish to recommence extraction of stone from Ding Quarry, near Rochdale.

What has this to do with mountain biking I hear you ask? Read on...

The only access to Ding Quarry is by Rooley Moor Road. This road is part of the Mary Towneley Loop of the Pennine Bridleway. If the application is approved it means that there is the possibility in the not too distant future of at least one quarry wagon using that road every 2 to 3 minutes, during working hours Monday to Saturday.

Notwithstanding the fact that Rooley Moor Road is an ancient roadway, parts of which date back to the 16th century and also that parts of it are prime examples of Pennine sett-stone causeway it is entirely unsuited to HGV/quarry traffic use. In addition use by HGV/quarry traffic is completely at odds with its status as part of a National Trail.

The applicant's land agents have submitted an environmental report to Rochdale Borough Council, but this completely fails to recognise the Mary Towneley Loop as part of the Pennine Bridleway, instead treating it as a separate entity.

Rochdale Borough Council is now inviting objections to the proposals which can be viewed either at the Council Offices in Smith Street, Rochdale, or via their website http://www.rochdale.gov.uk - follow the links to the plannign department portal and search on reference number 07/D49980.

As potential, if not actual, users of the Pennine Bridleway it is essential that we as mountain bikers voice our objections to the proposals or we could loose an important section of the trail. Even if you live in Cornwall or London or never plan to use the trail you should still stand up and be counted for the principle of the thing. The more people object the better chance we stand of the proposals beign rejected.

If you would like to object but are not sure how to do so, please PM me and I will do my best to help you. I have already written to Rochdale Council to object, and I am quite happy for anyone else to use my objections as their own as long as they append their own name and contact details to it (objections become legally binding evidence in a planning application and cannot be made anonymously or in someone elses name).

Moderators, is there any chance that we can make this a sticky, at least until the consultation period is over? Ta.

stumpyjon

This is horrendous. This MTL is a cracking bridleway loop. Losing this section would completely mess up the whole loop. I ride this all the time. It's not a great section technically but it is a vital (and the only legal) link between Rossendale and Rochdale in the area.

This is not just any old section of bridleway, it's part of a national developement to improve access for moutain bikers, losing this now would send out the message that we're just not important (it's only been open for five years), it's not like we're top of the governments agenda when it comes to improving access.

I'll definitely be writing to the council, any additional help will be much appreciated.

Dave thanks for highlighting this. How did you find out, I haven't seen anyhting in the local papers.

Milkie

I don't mind objecting to the proposal.... But, could you provide a direct link?

I've been on www.rochdale.gov.uk for 5 mins now and cannot find the objections to proposals, also searched for the reference number and it came up with way too many results.

Council's suck!!

dave_hill

stumpyjon wrote:

Dave thanks for highlighting this. How did you find out, I haven't seen anyhting in the local papers.

Found it on the MBR website. I'll post a direct link shortly.

dave_hill

Here's the MBR article link

and

Rochdale Borough Council Planning Portal

dave_hill

Come on people, this is pretty important! Let's get those objecting hats on! Winding up people planning applicants is massive fun!!!

stumpyjon

Yeah Dave's right. We can't let them take away what little access we already have to the countryside.

Next time this could be your local route getting trashed. Anyone out there in East Lancs / West Yorks or North Manchester, this is on your doorstep.

dave_hill

stumpyjon wrote:

Next time this could be your local route getting trashed. Anyone out there in East Lancs / West Yorks or North Manchester, this is on your doorstep.

Or anybody who lives in an area where mineral extraction is viable. Once these people get the message that they can do this unopposed there will be no stopping them.

I'm not trying to be a Panicky Pete or owt, but these things happen. Believe me I've been involved with enough objections and protests in my time to know. Give 'em and inch and they'll take a mile.

Stand up and be counted, people!

crocky

I've just added my objection, lets hope that many others do the same. Even if you've never ridden this area, you might want to one day.

Only takes a couple of minutes. Go on, do it!!

dave_hill

Right, I've done a bit more digging on this issue and apparently it runs a heck of a lot deeper than first impressions give...

Ding Quarry has been dormant since 1949 - that is to say workings stopped at that date but the site itself is not exhausted. It was simply mothballed.

It appears that D P Holdings hold the extraction rights for Ding Quarry and submitted an application in 1995 to extend it. At the time, they claimed that the quarry had never stopped working and that they were extracting 150,000 tonnes of stone from it every year!!

The 1995 objection campaign was bitterley fought and culminated in some 2000 townspeople of Rochdale turning up at the quarry and forming a human barricade to prevent wagons getting in.

The upshot of it is that D P Holdings seem to make a regular submissions to reopen the quarry and whilst the extraction of stone from it cannot be prevented, Rochdale Council can impose conditions upon the applicants as to how and when they can do so.

The leaders of the 1995 campaign have vowed to fight the new application all the way and various other local councillors and dignitaries are also adding their weight to the campaign.

The more people get involved in this, the better. It gives Rochdale Council the ammunition that they need to overturn the application and prevent any development from going ahead.

So, once again, please seriously consider objecting to the application, even if you live nowhere near the affected area and never plan on using it. If the application is overturned, it sets a precedent and makes it easier for lobby groups to get other similar applications overturned in the future.

dave_hill

crocky wrote:

I've just added my objection, lets hope that many others do the same. Even if you've never ridden this area, you might want to one day.

Only takes a couple of minutes. Go on, do it!!

Thanks Crocky! Come the revolution brothers and sisters, come the revolution...!!!

Dingrider

Hi Guys many thanks for your support.
Ding Quarry action group is trying its best to get this application stopped.
I ride my bike into the quarry regularly, and love riding over the moors when I can get the time.
The whole story can be read at http://www.dingquarry.co.uk
You can help by signing the petition, getting the newsletter.
And I hope we can count on all of you to help us in any way you can.
you can PM me or use the contact me link on the site.
The site is designed to to be about news and events that will take place regarding Ding Quarry, and also events in and around the Rochdale township.
If you have news to broadcast let us know too.

stumpyjon

Well my objection is now printed out and in an envelope ready to post.

Thanks dave_hill for the pro forma, looks well thought out and reasonable.

Cheers

dave_hill

I've printed my posters out and they're now in my car!

dave_hill

Bump up

stumpyjon

Anybody else put in an objection?

Got to get them in quick, planning decision has to be made by 11th Jan, the council only has 3 months to make a decision even though the quarry company took way more than that to create their application.

The council doesn't want to let this happen but they need as many objections as possible to support their case. If they reject it without enough good reason it'll go to appeal and the government will probably grant permission.

Anyone else out there having similar problems?

antilag

Yes I posted an objection as soon as i'd read the laughable environmental survey.

Rochdale Council have now told DP Williams to come back in May after they have submitted more detailed plans.

If it does go ahead they should use the Highway that has been built to support the Windfarm that is currenty being built next to the quarry (50 feet away!)

pocketsprocket

Peel holdings who are involved with the wind farm have lodged an objection saying the quarrying could endanger the turbines that are right next to the quarry face...

dave_hill

Hahhha haaa Haa! That's funny!

pocketsprocket

We'll just have to see..!!

stumpyjon

I'm beginning to love that wind farm :twisted: , wasn't so sure when they first went up but they are definitely growing on me.

pocketsprocket

Stumpy, is there a way to get onto the service roads for the turbines from Rooley Moor?

I had a look for a junction when I rode to Waterfoot the other week but couldn't see one..

I like the turbines and they're not noisy, apart from a gentle hum from the generators.

stumpyjon

If you can get to the turbines from Rooley Moor road on the bridleway that branches off left (heading north) at grid ref 857 184, which takes you up through Ding quarry, nearest turbine is no more than 100 yards from the bridleway and then you're onto the service roads.

Have to say I'm well impressed with the Ordanance Survey, used their get a map service to pick up the grid ref and the turbines are already marked on the online map :shock: In fact so are the service roads :shock: :shock:

http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/oswebsite/getamap/

Bikerbaboon

i have done the pettition hope it works for you guys...

pocketsprocket

stumpyjon wrote:

If you can get to the turbines from Rooley Moor road on the bridleway that branches off left (heading north) at grid ref 857 184, which takes you up through Ding quarry, nearest turbine is no more than 100 yards from the bridleway and then you're onto the service roads.

Have to say I'm well impressed with the Ordanance Survey, used their get a map service to pick up the grid ref and the turbines are already marked on the online map :shock: In fact so are the service roads :shock: :shock:

http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/oswebsite/getamap/

that's pretty impressive!

Hadn't realised that the route to ding quarry continued around the back... I'll have a look tonight me thinks...


PS Did you pass me last week at Pike Brow? I was struggling to stay upright on my HT?

pocketsprocket

cheers bikerbaboon..

stumpyjon

Aye, the bridleway runs up the old tram line which is they way they used to get the stone out of the quarry, they never used to take it down Rooley Moor road. This is one of the key argumants against the proposed use of the road as the primary extracton path.

pocketsprocket

ah!!!..... Have you notice how broken up the surface on RMR has been getting? I've really struggled to keep on my bike going up the hill..