Ding Quarry Action Group is celebrating a minor victory in the battle with D P Williams over the firms’ application to recommence mineral extraction at Ding Quarry. At a meeting today (Thursday 6 December) between Rochdale Council Planning Officers and Carter Jonas, the agents acting for D P Williams, the Council confirmed that the decision on the application, which was due to be made by January, has now been rescheduled for the 31 May pending additional information that the Council has requested from D P Williams.

Campaigners had pointed out when the application was first submitted that the Environmental Impact Assessment submitted with the application was woefully inadequate and it would be wrong of the council to make a decision based on inadequate information. The council clearly agrees and D P Williams will now have to provide additional information before the council will look at its application further.

Chairman of the Ding Quarry Action Group, Dave Thomas said: "Obviously the Ding Quarry Action Group is pleased that Rochdale council has acknowledged that the application lacked the detail required for a proper decision to be made. Although this pushes the decision back to April or May next year, the group recognises that nothing has changed as regards the ability of DPW to re-open the quarry. The planning consent persists.

"The Ding Quarry Action Group will spend this time gathering information and examining all the proposals in much greater detail and will redouble its efforts on behalf of the people of Rochdale to fight this blight on our community."