So, what happened in 1995 ?

 D.P.Williams had the rights to excavation of the quarry, he still does. Why did he not just move in and start quarrying ?

In 1995 new legislation came into effect. The Environment Act proposed among many other things that if a quarry had not been used, the local council could declare that the quarry had become dormant, and any further workings would be subject to a fresh planning application, and strict working conditions being imposed on it.

It was up to D.P Williams to prove that that Ding had been Substantially Quarried over a period of time leading up to the environment act coming into force. Now, this word (substantial) seemed to be the sticking point of the whole fight.. The Websters dictionary says:  sub·stan·tial  considerable in quantity : significantly great

Now, what was considerable in quantity ?  There is nothing that I know of that puts a figure on this amount.

If 20 wheelbarrows full of stone is substantially more than 1 wheelbarrow full.. is 200,000 tonnes of stone substantially more than 100,000 tonnes ?

It all seemed then to come down to the evidence of quarrying activities up at Ding over a period of time.

There was no question that stone had been removed, but how much ?

Here is DP Williams proof of it being substantially quarried by his evidence, and our clear response to his claims.

1. Sanderson & Gillson claimed that they had sold 50,000 tonnes.
The total tonnage sold as evidenced by their delivery notes is less than 1,000 tonnes..

2. Sanderson & Gillson claimed to have moved about 176,000 tonnes of stone.
Greater Manchester geological unit's scientific evidence showed total movement at 26,000 tonnes.

A report commissioned by us from an internationally renowned firm of ecology consultants into the age of the flora at Ding concluded that: Based upon the aging and colonisation of the flora, no substantial activity has occurred for at least 10-15 years and probably longer. Click here to see assessment.

3. D.P Williams had an affidavit from someone that worked full time at the quarry.This may or may not have been the case, but they also seemed to work four nights a week at local garage (Quite a feat).

Hundreds of local residents also sent in affidavits to state that they had not witnessed any activities during the hours 6.00 am to 8.00 pm.

Its ironic, that DP Williams evidence is also another meaning of the word: sub·stan·tial  being largely but not wholly that which is specified <a substantial lie>

On the 6th January 1996 The environment committee met at Rochdale Town Hall.
DP Williams was given 10 minutes to put his case forward, his spokesman Tony Cawkwell coughed and spluttered his case, apologising for his cold, and shuffling through a few notes handwritten on a scraps of paper.

Next, it was our turn. Our distinguished Barrister specialising in this type of affair put forward an excellent statement, the packed hall sat intently listening to him speak to the council, he put forward an undisputable case for the quarry to be declared dormant.

The council asked a few questions back, Mr. Cawkwell could not answer most of them.!

Then came the vote...
The council declared unanimously that Ding Quarry was Dormant..