Our 'Stop The Quarry - Stop The Marina!' petition is now available for signature at the following outlets:
Newlyn: Waghorn's Stores, Warren's Bakery, The Swordfish Inn.
Penzance: Chit Chatz, (Bottom of Morrab Road next to the Post Office).
More to follow soon...

***Further Update May 22nd 2006***

Chris Daly of Cornwall County Council informs us that:

1. 'A large number of letters (80+?) have been received from members of the public'. This high volume is normally reserved for more-inflammatory (pardon the pun) issues such as the controversial incinerator proposal. We understand that the vast majority of these letters are objections. This level of opposition has sent a very clear message.

2. Due to the number of ‘suggestions’ received from within the correspondence, CCC have postponed hearing the application until a number of important questions have been answered by MDL. Therefore, the item has not been included on the agenda for this Wednesday’s meeting of the planning committee.

3. The primary cause of concern to all is the traffic issue. This concern is shared by a number of officers within CCC ‘including the head of planning’.

4. MDL have been asked to consider alternative means (other than by road) of getting stone from Penlee to Sandy Cove. These alternatives include ‘by sea barge’ and an ‘overhead conveyor’. Note: a sea barge would still need to be loaded somehow and a conveyor system would be useless for 10tonne blocks!

5. We (the general public) will get a further oportunity to comment on MDL's answers to the various questions posed. Let's hope that we are given a reasonable time within which to do this!

6. CCC expect the application to be ready by either the 21st June or the 5th July Meeting. We will be informed at least the week prior.

“Thank you” to each and every one of you who wrote letters.

***UPDATE MAY 19th 2006***
19th May 06 - The sheduled meeting of Cornwall County Council's planning committee on the 24th May will NOT include MDL's application to resume quarrying - it has been 'postponed'. We are told the application will be heard at a later date, possibly July? This is excellent news! We can assume our protests have had a direct effect and that the shortcomings in MDL's submission that we have highlighted in our letters have had a material impact. We hope to report on the specific reasons why the application has been postponed shortly - watch this space. Click here to go directly to Cornwall County Council's site to view updates of the application as it progresses though the planning stages.

***UPDATE April 19th 2006***
We have just received notice that MDL's application to resume quarrying will be decided at the meeting of the County Planning Committee at 10am, 24th May in Truro. We have been told that we can make further comments for consideration up until the 14th May. If you haven't written yet, there is still time! Every letter counts.
If you want to lobby your County Councillor, the list of those members on the planning committe is viewable here.

Sample Letters here - send us yours for inclusion (in confidence)

April 3rd 2006
MDL Developments Ltd have recently applied to Cornwall County Council to recommence large-scale quarrying operatins at Penlee. We need as many people as possible to write to Cornwall County Council to oppose the application - see our recommendations below. We only have until the 18th April to make our objections known! Act Now - Don't Delay!

Stop The Marina!  ACTION ALERT! - ACTION ALERT! 3rd April 06

Dear Friends and Supporters,

Now is the time that we call on you in our hour of need. If you can write one short letter to Cornwall County Council we can Stop The Marina!...

MDL are applying for permission to resume quarrying at Penlee, if we can stop them, the marina scheme will be impossible. MDL want to remove nearly half a million tons of armourstone for the Sandy Cove and other schemes. The area from where the stone is to be quarried is where the housing part of the marina development is to be built. The stone is to be ‘stored’ on the north side of the quarry and then removed by road using a fleet of massive trucks; they will shuttle back and forth continuously for up to two or three years! They hope to use the cycleway/footpath along the foreshore, and build a massive ramp to access it – it will be publicly unusable for the duration.

We are also concerned about the effect on the varied wildlife within the quarry; some quite rare including peregrines. There is bound to be an effect from all the blasting (noise and dust) and there may well be some harmful sediment drain into the sea. This would damage the delicate eelgrass beds and marine habitats off Roskilly.

The current entrance to the quarry is to be enlarged. A new access, created on the south (Mousehole) side of the quarry, is proposed also; supposedly to make access easier, but in reality, it’s just part of the marina development by stealth!

Write to Cornwall County Council at the address below and voice your concerns about:

1. Not enough time is being given to consider the application – ask for more.

2. Ask that an independent Ecological EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) be conducted (as is recommended in the report accompanying MDL’s submission).

3. Say how concerned you are about the many heavy lorries using the coast road (delays, congestion, danger, noise, loss of the cycleway, impact on business and tourism, visual intrusion etc). The stone could be brought from several other sources by sea.

If you feel so inclined, raise your additional concerns about all, or any, of the following:

4. The contract to supply stone for the regeneration schemes has not been put out to tender. Why hasn’t it? How much is it all costing? And where is the money coming from?

5. The impact on wildlife. There are several rare species in the quarry, some protected.

6. Noise and dust from the blasting: Mention the impact of this – especially on those living in the vicinity!

7. What methods are being used to stop poisonous sediment being drained to sea?

8. The work will be seen from around the bay. There will be massive plant moving and working within the quarry. Say how visually intrusive this will be.

9. Where will it stop? MDL have stated that Penlee is only ‘68% mined’; they could ‘continue quarrying to a depth of 100metres’. Just say NO!

Send your letter BY THE 18th APRIL (or later, even if you miss the deadline) to:

Assistant Director: Spatial Planning, Planning Transportation and Estates Department, Cornwall County Council, County Hall, Truro, TR1 SAY

 Please copy and circulate this appeal and thank you for your support – we need it!

The Observations and Points of Objection of Stop The Marina! to MDL’s application for quarrying at the newly-named Penlee Armourstone Quarry based on the document entitled: ‘Scheme Submission under Decision No. 97/W/003 and related Environmental Documents’ as submitted to Cornwall County Council, March 2006.

Document Overview: MDL wish to resume large-scale quarrying operations at Penlee Quarry to extract armourstone blocks to be used for the Sandy Cove development schemes and elsewhere. To facilitate this, there would be major changes within the quarry, enlargement of the existing entrance and access area, and re-routing of internal roadways. An entirely new entrance access is also mooted on the south (Mousehole) side of the quarry to ‘make road transportation of stone safer by extending emerging vehicle’s lines of sight’.

Broader Implication:  The removal of the stone, and the creation of a new access, will facilitate the building of houses and other developments within in the quarry at a later date. The stone is intended to be used for ‘rock infill’ and ‘coastal protection’ at Sandy Cove and elsewhere.

Action overview: We urgently need you to oppose this submission by writing to Cornwall County Council by the 18th April - see the recommendations at the end of this letter... If we can put a stop to any further quarrying, MDL’s plans to create a marina will forever become impossible. Furthermore, the Sandy Cove and Penzance schemes will consequently become cost-prohibitive and will falter also. However, time is of the essence, please act now and encourage others to do likewise.

The bigger picture:  There exists a need for MDL to create a series of clear flat areas (‘benches’) within the quarry to enable them to build houses. The area that is being currently proposed for the extraction of armourstone is precisely the area where the proposed housing would be sited. To reach these houses, a new south entrance would be needed if a marina were ever created as the south side of the quarry could not be accessed otherwise. It is this access that is indeed now being suggested. This is all beyond coincidence! It is exactly what we have postulated all along and has been gleaned from many documents, all in the public domain.

The armourstone is intended to be blasted, extracted and removed from the south (Mousehole) side of the quarry and then transported (within the quarry) to the north (Newlyn) side where it will then be sorted, graded and (in their own words) ‘stockpiled’ (cough, cough!) whilst ‘awaiting a market’! MDL will therefore probably apply for planning permission for the housing independently, and at a later stage - quite possibly later this year? It is entirely possible that a contingency plan exists whereby the housing scheme/s will be proposed even if permission for a marina (the Harbour Empowerment Order) is delayed or refused. However, even without a marina, creating a new housing estate would throw up the same old problems: extra traffic, a drain on resources, impact on business and tourism, more 2nd homes etc.

General Observations: The submission requests permission to remove 450’000 tonnes of armourstone. The manager of Dean Quarry on the Lizard Peninsular informs us that he estimates an average ratio of 30 tonnes of stone needs to be quarried just to create one single 10 tonne armourstone block. This 3:1 ratio is not made clear, or even alluded to, in the submission. We can therefore assume that up to one and a half million tonnes would need quarrying to produce 450’000 tonnes of armourstone – this would equate to approximately fifty to sixty thousand blocks about one cubic metre in size! The submission states that this would be a ‘limited’ quarrying operation giving the impression of something on a small scale. We submit that this would be nothing of the sort! Dean Quarry also inform us that it would take them (an altogether larger commercial operation than Penlee), at their current rates of operation, anything between 3-4 years to blast, extract and grade such a quantity, so it is evident from these remarks that MDL are being economical with the truth when they tell us the operation will last just 7 months from July to January – more like July to January for the next umpteen years! Note: the reason only seven months are stated is that MDL know they will not be allowed longer due to the sensitivity of the peregrine falcon’s, and other bird’s, nesting season).

The proposals for Sandy Cove require it to be raised by between 20 to 30 feet in height and extended out to sea by 50% more than its current size. This is said to be needed to create an area large enough for the various facilities that would be built there. Our contention is that it needs to be big enough to swallow up the unwanted stone to create a marina, and high enough above sea level to be built on safely. However, a virtual ‘industrial estate’ would be the result. This development, if allowed, would generate even more traffic through Newlyn resulting in a whole gamut of negative impacts (and especially so, when coupled with the extra traffic resulting from any large-scale marina development). Furthermore, it will despoil forever, the potential to turn Sandy Cove into a delightful, quiet leisure area for the greater public benefit. Incidentally, the budget for rock infill at Sandy Cove is nearly £5m; the budget for extending and reinforcing the South Pier: another £7m. Not bad for stone that MDL would be only too glad to get rid of? They profit, we suffer!

The route to transport the armourstone blocks to Sandy Cove would entail three possible options?: 1. Via Cliff Road: An entirely new access to and from the Penlee quarry would need to be created towards the southern side (and by a remarkable coincidence, this would be exactly where a new access would need to be created to access the south side of the proposed marina development!). In this case, the large slow-moving articulated lorries would have to turn left out of this new entrance, along Cliff Road towards Newlyn for approximately 200 metres and then diagonally across the road to the right and down the steep incline of, what is for the moment, the cycleway. Lorries returning via this route would need a lay-by within the cycleway and some means of signalling clear passage ; Or, 2: ‘Across and Down’. The lorries would leave the existing, but greatly enlarged entrance in Fore Street, crossing directly across the road diagonally and then down a “temporary access ramp” to join up with the cycleway. Note: This ramp would have to be an enormous structure of very heavy construction and highly intrusive visually. The use of a ramp in this manner would also necessitate manual or automated traffic lights; Or 3: ‘Circular’ Although not specifically stated in the submission, it can be inferred that there could be a preferred option of the route being ‘circular’ with lorries leaving via the existing entrance in Fore Street, turning left and travelling north along Fore Street narrows, and then turning a sharp hairpin right into the existing Sandy Cove entrance. It may be necessary to enlarge this entrance or create a new one entirely? The lorries would then unload and leave to the south along the cycleway, going up the steep incline at the southern end, turning left along Cliff Road and then across the road into a newly-created  ‘south entrance’. This arrangement would enable two-way lorry movements, slightly reducing the need for stopping and giving-way. It is, of course, unthinkable in terms of general traffic congestion, loss of amenity, inconvenience and visual intrusion – and paves the way for a marina by stealth - literally!

Which ever route is taken, the cycleway/footpath would be unusable for the duration of the works. Lorries crossing the road and pavement to reach the ramp and cycleway would cause continuous hold-ups of arising from the 14-16 movements per hour – or one every four minutes! The stated times of operation are 8am to 6pm weekdays!

MDL state that the nearly half-million tonnes of armourstone would be removed from the quarry using very large flat bed lorries of approx 28-30 tonnes loading. This would therefore take about 15’500 round trips to complete (eg 31’000 road movements and crossings in total). This will take place for a minimum of a whole year – but quite possibly much longer. This impact is totally unacceptable for a small village such as Mousehole which wholly relies on tourism for its income. Residents in the near vicinity would also be subjected to an unacceptable level of noise, fumes and inconvenience from the road traffic, not only from the heavy stone lorries, but from the queues of traffic that will form awaiting the lorries to pass. Pedestrians and cyclists would also be inconvenienced. The risk of accidents will also be much higher.

Observations and Concerns Regarding Wildlife and the Wider Environment:

The report “recommends that a suitably qualified ecologist is appointed”.  We will therefore insist that this recommendation is upheld, and the results made publicly available for scrutiny, BEFORE any decision to resume quarrying is even considered.   The Greater Penlee Quarry Area is home to a surprising variety of wildlife, including badgers (13 setts), peregrine falcons, slow worms, and common lizards. There is also evidence of otters. “To avoid disturbing schedule 1 birds (i.e. peregrines), quarrying will commence in July and continue to January”. 42 species of birds have also been identified “within the quarry as a whole”, 15 of nature conservation concern including linnet, song thrush and bullfinch which are listed as UKBAP species – United Kingdom Biodiversity Action Plan.  There are 18 species of bird breeding in the site, ten of nature conservation concern.  Two species of bat have been identified – Pipistrelles and Daubenton’s, the latter seen over the lake. “Should a bat roost be encountered, it will be necessary to apply for a DEFRA licence before works affecting the roost can proceed.” 98 species of invertebrate have been recorded.

Please note that whilst the report divides the quarry into “Greater Penlee Quarry” and “Penlee Armourstone Quarry” and notes that most of these species are to be found within the GPQ, not within the PAQ, the animals don’t know the difference!  The last survey was done in 2004, perhaps it is time for another? One species found within the PAQ is the rare plant Western Ramping Fumitory, a priority UKBAP species only found in Cornwall.

There will be noise and dust from blasting but as this will take place well within the quarry, we do not consider these will be a major impact from a human perspective, nuisance (even for those living in the immediate vicinity). However, we do have reservations with regard to the impact on the varied wildlife living within the quarry itself. Incidentally, we would point out that it would be an entirely different matter if the entrance channel for the marina is ever constructed: this would be a mammoth operation and all would suffer immeasurably.

Summary of our principle concerns and objections:

1. The 25-day time-frame for the consultation period is unreasonably short. A planning request to build a small garage or extension would be given longer! We therefore request that the consultation period be extended by at least 6-8 weeks: a timeframe sufficient to consider any broader implications. The observations in this short essay have been identified by a small number of concerned lay-persons. If we are allowed more time, we could peruse the document more-thoroughly, perhaps engaging the services of specialists?, and compile a full report for consideration.

2. There has been no independent ecological assessment. In the submission, Hyder recommend the appointment of an independent ecologist for a number of specific purposes. So do we – and on a broader basis!

3. Major Traffic Disruption, Road Safety Concerns. &

4. Impact on Business and Tourism. There would be unacceptable delays and danger caused by several large articulated trucks journeying between the quarry entrance and Sandy Cove (quoted in the submission as being “7-8 vehicle round trips per hour”). There would be severe inconvenience and disruption to Mousehole residents using Cliff Road, and a negative impact on many businesses and holiday visitors. There may be on-going damage or degrading to the road surface, the continuous repair of which will cause further delays?

5. (Existing) Access entrance to the quarry will be greatly enlarged, unsightly and out of keeping with the surrounding environment. The submission states that the current entrance and road access would be greatly enlarged. We would submit that this enlargement would not be needed unless a ramp structure directly opposite is intended to be used to allow lorries to access the cycleway  – these two factors are, by necessity, interlinked.  The question is therefore: Why is the new access road so big and being reinforced to such a high degree? Furthermore: Why is high level screening needed to hide the workings behind them? This screening, in itself, would be highly unsightly, visually intrusive and not in keeping with surroundings!

6. Outside Tenders? Have the Sandy Cove/Newlyn regeneration scheme’s requirement for stone been put out to public tender?  If not, why not?  Is Penlee stone really the best for the job? We understand Penlee stone is not ideally suited for sea defence work due to the fissures and fractures inherent therein. This is why other sea defence schemes have used more suitable stone such as from Dean Quarry on the Lizard - even from as far a-field as Norway. This would also allow the delivery of stone by sea barge meaning ‘no traffic problems’. Therefore, why should the Newlyn and other schemes allow inferior stone that would cause nothing but chaos? Is it because it’s being sold off on the cheap? Further: is it irresponsible to allow quarrying when there is currently no guaranteed outside market for the stone anyway? In this further respect: the proposed Sandy Cove scheme has dubious merit due to inherent traffic problems and, as such, may well be unable to proceed anyway. We therefore propose that any decision to grant the application to quarry be delayed UNTIL the Sandy Cove scheme has been granted planning permission, or otherwise.

7a. Noise and Dust Pollution: there is no assurance that general work within the quarry will not take place within the quarry at night, only that stone will be removed between 9am and 6pm during weekdays; quarry workers will arrive and depart during these times; and blasting will only take place at certain specified times. There has been no noise assessment of continuous high level quarrying activity, only of the effects of blasting. We therefore demand an EIA that will assess this. We also ask that this be assessed at night (when the impact would be much higher), or alternatively, that an assurance be given that NO operations of any kind within the quarry be carried out during the hours of darkness.

7b. Sediment Drain to Sea. Although this has been dismissed in the report of no consequence we would like to see an independent Environmental Impact Assessment that assures that the delicate eel grass beds off the foreshore of Roskilly, and other sensitive wildlife habitats, are not damaged from sediment draining from the adit – it has occurred many times in the past – what guarantee is there it will not happen again?

8. Visual Intrusion – photos in the submission are of poor quality and definition, and have been taken against the light giving little impression of scale and incongruity. This may be accidental but we suspect otherwise. The heavy plant that is to be used on-site is stated to be painted in ‘neutral colours’ but they will presumably still have flashing beacons! The work will therefore be visible in broad daylight and especially in low light conditions or at night. One single JCB that has been currently working in Penlee Quarry can be seen clearly from St Michaels Mount, Wherrytown and Newlyn; probably elsewhere from farther a field. The is no mention made of light pollution or of possible internal quarrying work outside of daylight hours as has been regularly occurring for the last two years!

9. Protected Trees / Works in Vicinity of Public Footpaths: We ask that the impact on these be considered as part of the Independent Environmental Impact Assessment.

10. Where will it all end? What assurances can be given that quarrying operations would not increase well beyond those that are currently being proposed in this submission? It is stated in MDL’s and Port Penlee’s publicity that they own the rights to extract a further 26 million tons to a depth of 100 metres; they further inform us that Penlee is only “68% mined”!

ACTION:  As a matter of urgency, please write to Cornwall County Council and insist that the following points be adopted: (Encourage as many others as you can to do likewise – every single letter WILL help). Please let us know if you receive any interesting replies, or have any additional ideas.

1. ‘Insufficient Time for consultation’. Request an extension to the consultation period of at least another 6-8 weeks.

2. ‘Independent Expert Ecologist’: Ask that one be appointed to assess the Environmental Impact, as per the submission’s recommendation; and that any results are made public.

Also, demand that the application be declined on the grounds of:

3. ‘Traffic Congestion and Road Safety Concerns’. Demand that permission to quarry is denied on the grounds of the danger, disruption and inconvenience caused to road users, the impact on Mousehole’s residents and tourism revenues, the loss of use of the cycleway and footpath, and especially the danger to pedestrians and cyclists having to share the main road with continuous very heavy construction traffic. Also, demand to know exactly how MDL intend to transport the stone, and by what route?

Also, if you are so inclined: voice your opposition to the application on any, or all, of the following grounds:

4. ‘Impact on Tourism/Business’ – self explanatory; say if this will affect you personally.

5. ‘Entrance and Access Road Widening’ – Over-development out of keeping with surroundings.

6. ‘Alternative sources for Armourstone’. Why not use them? Has the contract to supply armourstone been put out to tender – if not, why not?

7. Noise, Dust and Sediment impact. – Impact on people and to wildlife.

8. Visual Intrusion – inaccurately assessed, poor quality photos, concern re. light pollution

9. Impact on Trees and Public Footpaths in the vicinity? Ask that they be part of the Independent Environmental Impact Assessment.

10. Where will it all stop? – Voice your concerns about this.

Send your letter to: Assistant Director: Spatial Planning, Planning Transportation and Estates Department, Cornwall County Council, County Hall, Truro, TR1 SAY by the 18th April. (send it even if you miss the date). Send a copy of your letter to your County Councillor, contact details below:

Further Information available from: www.stopthemarina.co.uk regular updates on ‘Latest News’ and ‘Our Campaign’ pages. You can download the introduction to MDL’s submission, and various maps and illustrations here: http://www.penleearmourstonequarry.info/index.html (warning - large files: 8.72Mb and 4.71Mb). Alternatively, you can download the converted text-only version of the submission (MSword docs) from the ‘Downloads’ page of our website. Information and work-in-progress reports on the Newlyn Harbour, Sandy Cove and other schemes are here: http://www.newlyn.org/index.html

Please copy and forward this document as widely as possible. You can download an electronic version in MS word format (and also a double-sided A4 shorter version for hand-outs) see 'Downloads'

Copy of notice as it appeared in The Cornishman 23rd March 2006:

CORNWALL COUNTY COUNCIL

Notice of Application made under Planning Condition

Town  and  Country Planning (General Development Procedure) Order, 1995

Notice Under Article 21

Public Rights of Way lie the vicinity of the proposal

Protected Trees lie in the vicinity of this proposal

Proposed development at: Penlee Quarry, Fore Street, Newlyn, Penzance, Cornwall TR19 6HN

I give notice that: MDL Developments Ltd

are applying to the Cornwall County Council or approval for: Proposed discharge of planning conditions on existing mineral planning permission (ref: 97/W/003 (P10.ENV) dated 17 December 1999) to enable limited quarry operations to take place.

Members of the public may inspect copies of: the submission, the plans, and other documents submitted with it at the Planning, Transportation and Estates Department, Cornwall County Council, County Hall, Truro, the Planning Department, Penwith District Council, St Clare, Penzance, Cornwall, TR18 3QW and at the Public Library, Morrab Road, Penzance during all reasonable hours until 18 April 2006, or you can visit our website at www.cornwall.gov.uk and follow the 'Planning' link and search under application reference 06/00144/PS21 in the live planning application register. You will also be able to submit comments on-line if you prefer.

Anyone who wishes to make representations about this submission should write to the Assistant Director: Spatial Planning, Planning Transportation and Estates Department, Cornwall County Council, County Hall, Truro, TR1 SAY to be received by 18 April 2006 (Any letters received will be placed on the file which is available for public inspection). Please mark letters "For the attention of CD/ Reference No. P10.ENV(4)". Signed Mark Jones On behalf of Cornwall County Council Dated 23 March 2006

----------------

County Councillors:

Cllr. Mr Peter Mates, Trenowyn, Ludgvan, Penzance, Cornwall TR20 8BL. Home Telephone: 01736 740560. E-mail: pmates@cornwall.gov.uk further details: http://db.cornwall.gov.uk/members/MeDet.asp?me=298

Cllr. Mr. John Payne, Sirhowey, 9 Charles Street, Newlyn, Penzance, Cornwall TR18 5QB. Home Telephone: 01736 360547. E-mail: jpayne@cornwall.gov.uk further details: http://db.cornwall.gov.uk/members/medet.asp?me=299

Cllr. Ms Tamsin Williams, Albert Cottage, Albert Terrace (back lane), Penzance, Cornwall
TR18 2DD. Home Telephone: 01736 363008. E-mail: penzanceeast@aol.com further details: http://db.cornwall.gov.uk/members/medet.asp?me=300