Unhenged, undermining thornborough.

[Venutius]

News Add news
Campaign Groups Keep Up Pressure

Protesters to deluge council over quarry
By Richard Edwards

Protesters fighting a quarry plan near an ancient Yorkshire monument are to hit a council with the biggest number of objections in its history. Campaign groups Timewatch and the Friends of Thornborough Henges have been campaigning for more than a year against Tarmac's scheme at Ladybridge Farm, Nosterfield, near Ripon.

Timewatch will hand 1,500 letters of objection and a petition on Monday that will carry more than 10,000 signatures to North Yorkshire County Council planning chiefs.
The response will be the largest number of objections the council has ever received to a single application.

Timewatch chairman George Chaplin said: "Our response shows that the application is fundamentally flawed and contrary to council planning policy on many counts.

He added: "We feel that by showing we are more than willing to argue our case, together with significant public support, we can ensure that right is done at Thornborough."

taken from the article at Leeds Today
http://www.leedstoday.net/ViewArticle2.a...ID=1073879

coverage also at the bbc website
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/north...642175.stm


Save the Thornborough Henge Complex - http://www.timewatch.org

[Venutius]

This is a pdf version of our response to the application, all data used is verifiable. Please tell me what you think.

http://tinyurl.com/7ack3

Save the Thornborough Henge Complex - http://www.timewatch.org

[Venutius]

Tarmac offers land next to henges gift

Tarmac offers land next to henges gift
QUARRY firm Tarmac is offering to give 60 acres of land adjacent the ancient Thornborough Henges to the nation.
The company, currently in dispute with conservationists over its plans to extend quarrying operations near the 5,000 year old site, says its "significant donation" will help ensure the preservation of the henges.

But the offer by Tarmac has been given a cautious welcome by campaigners, amid accusations the gesture was both 'a public relations exercise' and 'a fob'.

Announcing the offer, Tarmac area director Simon Phillips said: "We are proposing to gift the area of land to English Heritage or alternatively to a suitable charitable trust."

Tarmac has previously discussed the long term management of the henges with English Heritage, but in the past they have declined the opportunity to take over direct responsibility. "We hope they will consider this new proposal and agree to the significant donation we have offered today," said Mr Phillips.

"The monument is attracting increasing numbers of visitors and we believe the time is right for this area of land to be donated to an appropriate conservation body.

"The gift will enable the area to be put down in perpetuity to pasture. For the first time ever, the immediate setting of the northern henge will be preserved forever as an archaeological reserve.

"The preservation of the henges is vitally important to us all, and we look forward to working with English Heritage and North Yorkshire County Council to develop this charitable trust."

In response, chairman of the Friends of Thornborough, Jon Lowery said: "My initial reaction is we have got to welcome any such move but the devil is in the detail ? to whom will it be given?

"Of course, we have to realise all this talk about preserving the heritage is all a fob. The whole thing is a public relations exercise ? they are not there as a benevolent organisation, they are there as a mining company."

Chairman of campaign group TimeWatch, George Chaplin, also urged caution.

"The fact is, the ritual landscape of the Thornborough Henges covers a great deal more than 60 acres and whilst we welcome this offer, we think that this may be a case of Tarmac attempting to buy off the protestors without taking into account the true extent of the archaeology," he said.

"However, this does mean that Tarmac are now willing to accept that preserving the archaeology of the Thornborough Henges is important."

North Yorkshire County Council is expected to make a decision on Tarmac's planning application for quarrying at Ladybridge Farm, half a mile from the henges, in September.
29 July 2005

http://www.ripontoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2...ID=1099950

Save the Thornborough Henge Complex - http://www.timewatch.org

[BAJR Host]

I agree that it is done with the best interest of Tarmac.. has there been any indication of the location of the 60 acres... a map or something... it would be useful to see where this 60 acres are.

It does mean a significant compromise though.

Another day another WSI?

[Venutius]

No map forthcoming at present, however as you say it is something worthy of consideration. It should be noted however that this was a unilateral proposal, I do not think this has been discussed with the other members of the consultation group for example and we are all in the dark regarding the reasoning behind the areas allocated, or even where they are for certain.



Save the Thornborough Henge Complex - http://www.timewatch.org

[BAJR Host]

.... hmmmmm ... thats why the location of teh land will be intersting... and then match it against the
a) known archaeology
b) known minerals!
c) easy of access.

might be able to push it and ask for a visitors centre!
you never know... if you meet them part way... it might end in you getting what you want.

time will tell though

Another day another WSI?