Another Quarry Threat

Fourknocks 1

Image by greywether

FourWinds Jun 22, 2004 10:58:36

Meath Co. Co. Planning Reference SA/40211 Goode Concrete Ltd. Quarry Ford de Fyne, Naul Co. Meath

Goode Concrete Ltd are proposing to develop a 65 acre concrete batching plant & quarry at Ford de Fyne, Naul, on Meath Dublin border on the narrow road to Fourknocks Megalithic Tombs, with traffic travelling via Naul to M1 Motorway and south towards Ashbourne (Oldtown /Garristown).
There will be an additional 200+ truck movements per day (6.30 am to 7pm), 6 days a week for the next 20 years ?
The approval of development will show a disregard for principal historic site Fourknocks by the County Council (if viewed by visiting Tourists). Tour companies will not wish to dodge HGV traffic and see countryside devastated by a quarry on the way to Fourknocks.
With regard to impact on Archaeology, the proposed development would destroy the existing Mound Site in the quarry.

Consider the increased impact to Road safety, Health, Landscape, Environment (dust, noise), Water, River Delvin

*********************************

More as and when ....

BrigantesNation Jun 22, 2004 16:29:20

Replying to FourWinds

The key thing we all must understand aboujt quarries, is once they are set up it is very hard to close them down again. They always say this is a short term exercise - just twenty years, but what will happen in 20 years time? The quarry will expand and another 65 acres will go, or as is more likely - the 65 acres will run out ahead of schedule and they will find themselves in the "difficult" position of needing emergency permission for more space. Inevitably this quarry will eat away the surrounding landscape, like a ground sucking slug, slowly, almost imperceptively destroying the landscape and the heritage it contains - both natural and human. Just look at our latest map of Thornborough http://www.heritageaction.org/thornboroughapplicationdetails.html (not linked in yet).

Can you believe that only thirty years ago the place looked like this:

http://www.archaeologicalplanningconsultancy.co.uk/mga/projects/noster/speciali/envass/apmal711.html

Quarries are expert at eating the elephant (one spoon at a time), is they had of come along to Thornborough fifty years ago and said "right, we are going to remove a thousand acres of land from this place, their would have been an outcry, so instead they applied for a "tiny" pocket of land in an out of the way place to be quarried - this was less than 60 acres and was well over a mile from the nearest village - within 20 years they were in peoples back gardens and today when the apply for planning permission they proudly claim that the result will enhance the existing quarried landscape, they even have the cheek to point at the two historic gravel pits - 150 years old and less than an acre between them - and claim that they are continuing a historic tradition in the area! It's a bit like Hitler pointing at the Yorkshire Ripper and saying "we are part of the same historic tradition). Can you believe it's tarmac's archaeologists who make this claim? Well ok, you can.

The local people need waking up and fast - stop it in it's tracks, do not let this blight take root or they will be forever making excuses as to why they are unable to stop this nightmare.

Any chance of a map showing the archaeology and application area?