Minister joins quarry protest
Reporter: Words and pictures by KEN BENNETT
Date published: 16 February 2009
Shenna Bealing, who has lived near the quarry in Huddersfield Road for 14 years, with her pet 12-month dog, Charlie
Defiant householders lead by councillors turned out in force to show support for a poster campaign to stop a quarry being granted a tipping permit.
They were backed by Immigration Minister Phil Woolas, MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth, who joined poster -carrying protesters at the entrance to Birks Quarry on the Austerlands-Lees border.
The poster blitz of more than 400 homes and businesses is the first step by the newly-formed Birks Quarry Action Group to highlight key issues about a proposal to tip inert building material at the eight-acre site.
The group is headed by Councillor Barbara Beeley, a local ward councillor. It was formed after a public meeting attended by more than 150 residents.
She said: “The posters underpin the real concern over problems if tipping is allowed at Birks Quarry. There is a groundswell in the community and everyone who lives near the quarry is totally opposed to the tipping plan.”
The bright yellow no-tipping posters have been spread to homes and businesses along Stamford Street and the A62 Oldham-Huddersfield Road which would be the direct access route for waste-bearing lorries.
Councillor Beeley added: “People are determined to do everything they can to stop the permit application going ahead.”
Mr Woolas has already asked the Minister of the Environment to call in all the information surrounding the tipping permit.
The main worries of resents centre on traffic problems at the concealed entrance to the site and other key environment issues.
Mr Woolas has also written to the borough about padlocked gates at the quarry blocking a public footpath and no diversion sign being posted.
He is asking the council to clarify if there has been an application to divert the well-used right of way.
Meanwhile, one of the action group’s committee and ardent anti-tip campaigner, Robert Knotts, has threatened to report Oldham Council to the Local Government Ombudsman unless he receives reassurances surrounding aspects of communication between their officers and councillors over the tipping application documents.
Other action group committee members are Councillors Derek Heffernan, Val Sedgwick and Brian Lord, John Battye, researcher for Phil Woolas, MP, local residents Jean and Geoff Wood, and Karen Donald.
They are expected to report back by the weekend on issues they have been tasked with raising with the council and Environment Agency.
If the permit was granted, Royton-based Opengoal Limited, could tip up to 540,000 tonnes of inert waste, including rubble and builders materials, at the quarry.
