Too late to restore quarry in Stewartby say planning consultants

Screenshot of site taken from the applicant's supporting statement. Image: LDRS

It’s now too late to enforce planning conditions to restore a Stewartby quarry, planning consultants have claimed.

An application for a certificate of lawfulness has been sent to Bedford Borough Council seeking confirmation that the restoration and aftercare conditions attached to planning permission for a quarry are “now immune” from enforcement action due to a failure to comply.

Planning for site extraction was granted by Bedfordshire County Council ((67/OMP/1/01)) and the extraction operations ceased in February 2008.

Under the various planning conditions the ending of extraction triggered an obligation to bring forward proposals for site restoration and aftercare.

The applicant said such submissions were “never made” and the conditions have been breached for periods “well in excess of 10 years”, adding in these circumstances it is no longer possible for the council to take enforcement action to require compliance with these conditions.

“Therefore the existing use is considered lawful,” they said.

They added that as the boundary of Central Bedfordshire Council and Bedford Borough Council runs through the southeastern corner of Quest Pit, the application has been made to both councils.

More information can be found on the council’s planning portal, reference 24/00117/LDE. The overall consultation expiry date is Tuesday, February 20, 2024.