An expert ‘time team’ is being formed to help Ding Quarry Campaigners.

Academics from Britain, Germany, Iceland and Scandinavia have been studying parts of the Environmental Statement submitted with the Ding Quarry planning application.

It appears that the plans to reopen the quarry contain omissions regarding the history and archaeology of the Ding area.

Major archaeological and historic features are missing from the reports- these include burial mounds and the ancient site of Spotland Manor House. There is no reference whatsoever to the medieval era in the quarry planning application. This is surprising as the Rochdale area has some of the richest records for this period in the area.

Campaigners say this has 2 major consequences- Firstly, important aspects of Rochdale’s past and heritage have not been recognised. The moors above Rochdale may be of international importance for Viking era history. Secondly, the serious omissions suggest the developer’s reports are not good enough for a proper decision about the dormant quarry to be made. Questions are to be raised at the highest levels about how this information was missed.

Much of this work has been co-ordinated by Stuart Mendleson based in Sweden.

Stuart is travelling to Rochdale this week. He is to meet with DQAG members at the Black Dog pub, Rooley Moor Rd, this Thursday evening 29/11/2007 at 7pm. His whistle-stop tour will keep him busy. Much time will be spent on Rooley Moor and in the next few days he will be meeting with experts from the University of Bradford and Manchester Metropolitan University.

The initial reports are to be paid for with contributions from the Ding Quarry Action Group, Save Spodden Valley campaign and Friends of Scout Moor.