Clydesdale MP David Mundell has welcomed news that a Planning Inquiry Reporter has rejected controversial plans for a massive quarry near Biggar.
The local MP was one of those who appeared at a planning inquiry last year, giving evidence on behalf of the many hundreds of people who opposed the plan to quarry millions of tonnes of gravel from an 80 acre site at Overburns Farm, near Biggar.
Now the inquiry Reporter has backed the views of South Lanarkshire Council that the application by Patersons plan be rejected.
“This is wonderful news and a great start to 2013 for all of those in this part of my constituency who faced the threat of extensive quarrying and all that it brings with it. This planned quarry was right on the banks of the Clyde and threatened the quality of the river, fishing, and tourism,” said the MP.
“Twice now both the local population and South Lanarkshire Council, as planning authority, have made it clear this proposal is inappropriate in this rural area. I now hope Patersons will take on board the fact that the inquiry reporter agreed with the local people and local councillors and finally give up this unwanted development,” added Mr Mundell.
“I gave evidence personally at the public inquiry because I wanted to be able to make clear how strongly local people were against this development and how frustrated they were that the developers seemed determined to press ahead regardless of local opinion or the decisions of the local planning authorities,” he said.
Patersons originally submitted plans to quarry five million tonnes of gravel from an 80-acre site at Overburns Farm, Lamington, near Tinto Hill, in 2009. That application was rejected by South Lanarkshire Council in July 2010.
The company then submitted a scaled-back proposal but local opposition to the scheme remained strong.
South Lanarkshire Council’s planning committee rejected the second application in March last year, saying that the proposal went against its policies and expressed fears that the development could damage the local environment.
Patersons then appealed that decision, but, following an inquiry held late last year, that appeal has now been rejected.