Information on Loughborough

Tory Gravel Extraction Plan Could Ruin Soar Valley

Posted on 23/05/2008
P. Klein

oil exploitation map

Oil & Gas exploration and quarrying in Charnwood Forest too!

New plans that will allow sand and gravel extraction from the Soar River Valley were approved by Leicestershire County Council on the 21st May 2008. Residents of the Soar Valley villages will be outraged to discover that the plan will allow mineral development on Green Wedge land. Calls by Labour Councillors to protect Green Wedge land from mineral extraction were rejected by the Conservative Majority.

Green Wedge land provides a natural barrier between villages and urban areas; and is supposed to be protected from development. Despite this environmentally important safeguard, the policy document states “Mineral extraction would be acceptable within a Green Wedge if appropriate measures are taken to minimise severance and adverse effects on amenity.” This new Conservative policy will allow quarrying companies to apply for the right to literally cart away Green Wedge land. Labour believe that once the door is opened for quarrying, all future protection afforded by Green Wedge designation will be compromised.

This environmental disaster is made more likely as another policy CS2, requires Leicestershire to “Make land available to meet the sub-regional apportionment of 26.25 million tonnes of sand and gravel and 344.5 million tonnes of crushed rock over the 21 year period 2001 2021”. The associated map covers almost the whole of the River Soar valley; threatening the environment surrounding the villages of Hathern, Barrow, Sileby, Syston and Thurmaston.

The last attempt to expand dredging of the River Soar for sand and gravel near Hathern was successfully defeated by a well organised local campaign. The plans were rejected by a Government Inspector because there was no road structure to take the minerals out of the area. The new Tory policy to lift Green Wedge protection opens the way for a new plans to extract sand and gravel from Loughborough northwards.

The other great landscape area under threat is Charnwood Forest. The Conservative administrations policy will allow proposals for quarrying, and for oil & gas extraction to be allowed within this area of natural beauty. The document excludes the National Forest from quarrying and gas exploration; on the grounds that this region is to be developed for tourism. Charnwood Forest, which forms part of the National Forest has specifically excluded from this protection by the Tories.

Charnwood Labour Party remain committed to campaigning for the designation of the Soar River Valley as a Linear Park, to be developed as a landscape for amenity, recreation and tourism.

Andy Reed MP for Loughborough said:“I am very wary of the plans to allow Green Wedge land to be excavated for sand and gravel. I will work with the residents of all the Soar Valley villages, and especially Hathern, to stop this proposal going forward.”

Eric Goodyer, Labours Prospective Parliamentary candidate for Charnwood said:“These plans will destroy the natural beauty and tranquillity of the River Soar; ruining the quality of life for the residents of Thurmaston & Syston. The river valley should be developed sustainably, offering jobs and skills in recreation and leisure. All that dredging does is to provide short term employment and a big hole.”

“The possibility of drilling and quarrying in Charnwood Forest is vandalism. We demand that this area of natural beauty should be given the same protection as the rest of the National Forest.”