ACCESS ALL AREAS?

>(Above, l to r) - Bob Dalrymple Stirling Conservative candidate for Holyrood, Neil Benny Stirling Conservative council candidate for Stirling West, Murdo Fraser, Deputy Leader of the Scottish Conservatives.)

Conservative Scottish Parliamentary candidate Bob Dalrymple and Council candidate Neil Benny today showed the way to prevent the reopening of Murrayshall Quarry in Cambusbarron, and issued a rebuke to the SNP for playing party politics over the issue and misleading the public.

Stirling’s Conservatives have discovered Hanson Ltd, who plan the new super-quarry do not in fact have access rights to the area.

Following conversations with Tarmac Northern Ltd, the Conservatives have established that the only access point is owned by Tarmac, which has no intention of sub-letting it to Hanson. Therefore for Hanson to start the super-quarry, Stirling Council would have to give planning permission for a new access point to be built.

Contrary to statements from the SNP and Stirling Council, the mineral consent for the whole area was in fact granted in 2001 following a national review of mineral consents. The relevant consent provides specifically that the access to the quarry should be along Polmaise road only.

Bob Dalrymple commented:

“While the SNP has postured, Stirling’s Conservatives have actually got some work done, and found a way forward that would address genuine local concerns. We have spoken directly to the site’s owner and operator Tarmac who have told us ‘As responsible landowners and quarry masters we will always listen to and take on board the genuine concerns of local residents. We have no intention of allowing our access to be used to reopen this quarry’.

Bob continued
“Provided Stirling Council doesn’t allow a new access point, there will be no super-quarry.

“I know there is an election on, but the SNP really has to learn that showboating in the press is no substitute for actually getting things done.”

Stirling West Conservative Council Candidate Neil Benny said:

“The SNP’s Scott Farmer has been seeking to stoke local anxiety over this matter purely for electoral advantage. The SNP should have done what any sensible public representative would have done – checked the facts first!

“The Conservative approach has been to examine the facts and then speak directly to the key landowner, namely Tarmac Northern Ltd., to get the truth. Tarmac already owns and operates another quarry at Denny, which is why they closed Murrayshall in the first place. Apart from removing a quantity of loose stone in the interests of safety from Murrayshall over the summer, they clearly have no need to reopen this quarry.

“This issue is too important to be the victim of SNP sensational media spin. The facts speak for themselves and we intend to tell the story as it is.”