Cursiter Quarry extension rejected by planning committee

An application to extend Cursiter Quarry in Firth has been rejected by Orkney Islands Council’s planning committee, today, Wednesday.

The application, put forward by OIC’s development and infrastructure department, received letters of objection from four residents living in the nearby area. It proposed further extraction of stone from the quarry as well as landscaping and restoration on the site.

This was the second hearing of this application by the planning committee. A decision had previously been deferred, pending a site visit by councillors.

Consideration was given by committee members to the proposal made by the development and infrastructure department, as well as the concerns raised by objectors. Reasons for objection included:

• Dust
• Blasting
• Concerns over methodologies in relation to amenity/environmental monitoring.
• Impacts to the water course

After a lengthy discussion, councillors chose to reject the application. This decision was led by Kirkwall East councillor, David Dawson, who was seconded by West Mainland councillor, Owen Tierney. The reasoning given for this was that the application proposed an extension which extended beyond the quarry’s defined mineral safeguard area, which Councillor Dawson and his colleagues felt was not justified. It was also felt that this extension would result in cumulative adverse impacts to residents living in nearby properties.

Though this rejection was unanimously agreed by the planning committee, Kirkwall East councillor, John Ross Scott, formally lodged his objection to the decision taken by members after it had been made.