| Source: Wicklow People | Date: 31st July 2003 | reporter: Lynn Glanville |
PLANS to establish a quarry less than a mile from Brittas Bay have been shelved by the owners of Arklow Company, Hudson Concrete Ltd.
Local people reacted with outrage when the planning application was submitted to Wicklow County Council. They maintained that the proposed quarry would destroy one of the finest beaches in the county - an amenity that was already under pressure after the loss of its two blue flags.
Hudson Concrete had applied for permission to extract rock aggregate from a proposed quarry at Ballinaclea just off the road that runs from Jack Whites on the N11 to the second Brittas Bay car park. The quarry was to have a lifespan of 14 years.
It was proposed to supply crushed rock aggregate from a 36-hectare site at Ballinaclea for use as fill material for the construction industry in the Arklow area.
Brittas Bay Protection Group member, Dara O'Neill, said the withdrawal of the application was fantastic news and everyone in the area was breathing a sigh of relief.
He said that the engineer's report on the quarry had recommended refusal on the grounds that it would damage the landscape and would affect ground water and increase traffic.
However, he said the residents would not drop their guard and acknowledged that a similar application could be submitted to the county council again.
The protection group was formed to fight the application but now that the perceived threat to the area has been withdrawn, the group will continue to have an influence.
Dara explained that a lot of positive things had come out of the group and they had agreed to support the Brittas Bay Development Group in their endeavours to improve the area.
Hudson Concrete this week had no comment to make on the matter.
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