The campaign by the Hill of Allen Action Group in relation to the quarrying of the hill by Roadstone took a new twist last week, with the claim that two recorded monuments are located at the summit of the hill. In a statement on Friday last, the action group said that "shocking new evidence" had been uncovered, in the form of an ancient burial chamber (cist) and a burial mound (tumulus) at the summit.
Moreover, the monuments are listed on documentation held in Kildare County Council's own heritage section, although no reference to them has been made to date in any of the council's statements on the Roadstone issue.
The action group's statement continued: "These ancient and fragile monuments, protected by the National Monuments Acts, are within the boundaries of the quarry operated by Roadstone at the hill."
It went on to claim that while the monuments in question were listed in the statutory Record of Monuments and Places (a list compliled by the Archaeological Survey of Ireland), they did not appear on Roadstone's registration papers or maps when they registered the quarry with Kildare County Council in 2006.
According to Miriam Mulcahy from the action group, the only monument of any significance in the vicinity of the hill acknowledged by Roadstone in their quarry registration was the tower.
"In a letter to senior planner George Perry, dated 31 January 2006, Roadstone said: ‘The only archaeological monument or other archaeological remains located on or within 500 metres of the quarry site is the tower situate on the Hill of Allen, known as Aylmer's Folly.'"
She added that the company also included in its supporting documentation a map locating Aylmer's Folly as the only monument on the site. "In the planning file, there is no acknowledgment by Kildare County Council of the burial chamber and burial mound monuments, and no indication that the planners have consulted with or intend to consult with the National Monuments Service or any other statutory bodies," said Ms. Mulcahy.
Any monument listed in the RMP is protected under the National Monuments Acts and the onus is on the landowner to be informed of the existence of recorded monuments on their land. Damage to a monument listed in the RMP is a criminal offence, subject to steep fines and possible imprisonment.
"Archaeologists could tell without any digging, just by looking at the landscape, that there is at least one burial site there. With a formal assessment, who knows what more they might find?" said Ms. Mulcahy.
"It appears that Roadstone and Kildare County Council are simply pretending that the monuments do not exist. If the parties do not acknowledge them, they are not protecting them either," she added. "We have already argued that a planning application and an environmental impact assessment were absolutely required in the case of Roadstone's Allen quarry, under both Irish and European law. A planning application would have set in motion the mechanism that requires planners to check the RMP for undisclosed monuments, and an environmental impact assessment would necessarily have included a detailed archaeological assessment carried out by a qualified archaeologist," Ms. Mulcahy stated.
Kildare County Council said last week (prior to the claim in respect of the monuments) that an agreement recently negotiated with Roadstone in relation to the Allen quarry would be signed in the near future and would then form an entry on the planning register and become public information.
Asked this week for a comment on the latest developments, a council spokesperson said: "The Hill of Allen Action Group has not made the council aware of any findings and it would be advised to do so. As things stand, Kildare County Council cannot comment on the issue."
Yet the Hill of Allen Action Group maintains that the existence of the burial chamber and mound is verified by documents held in the council's own offices. "The Record of Monuments and Places (RMP) should be held by the planning or heritage offices in each local authority. We asked in Kildare County Council's planning section and were told it was not available there. Then we tried the heritage officer and initially she didn't seem sure what we were talking about, but then she produced the RMP."
The documents, including maps and listings, clearly identify the Hill of Allen as the location of "Tumulus, possible site" and "Cist site."
In a letter to all of Kildare's county councillors, the Hill of Allen Action Group has stated: "Please do not stand by and allow the desecration of these Monuments, which are the graves of our ancestors. We respectfully request that you demand immediate answers from the planning department, refuse to support this material contravention of the development plan, and, if necessary, reject their agreement with Roadstone under section 3 of the City and County Management Act, 1955."
Vicki Weller
Kildare Nationalist
Showing posts with label roadstone. Show all posts
Showing posts with label roadstone. Show all posts
Sunday, 21 October 2007
Wednesday, 13 June 2007
Allen action group keeps pressure on Roadstone
RESIDENTS of the Mill-town, Kilmeague and Allen areas have called on Roadstone to formulate a proper restoration plan for the Hill of Allen, given the impact of quarrying there over several decades. The demand came following a public meeting held in the Milltown Inn last week, which was attended by around 50 concerned residents from the area. Public representatives also turned out for the meeting, including deputies Sean O’Fearghail (FF) and Jack Wall (Labour), along with Fianna F•il councillors Pat Black and Fiona O’Loughlin. A petition concerning public access to the hill was launched at the same meeting.
“Essentially, we are calling on Roadstone to place a height restriction barrier at the entrance to the carpark beside the hill. At present, there are boulders there which are effectively hindering local people from using it as an amenity,” said local committee spokes-person Miriam Mulcahy.
At the meeting, Ms Mulcahy outlined the relevant planning issues to the attendance. Kildare County Council notified Roadstone in March 2006 that, due to the size of the quarry and given concerns about the environmental impact of the works, the company would have to submit a planning application and an environmental impact statement. Roadstone insists that its quarrying on the hill has had no significant effect in environmental terms and has sought a judicial review of the matter.
Anne Davidson addressed the Milltown meeting on the subject of the county development plan, focusing in particular on the regulations and guidelines related to ‘extractive industries’, while Conor Mahony spoke about the historic and cultural significance of the hill. Those in attendance viewed a slide show and were shown a series of large maps which, the organisers claimed, indicated the areas of extraction proposed in Roadstone’s future plans.
“There was a lot of shock when people actually saw exactly how much of the hill is about to be taken away,” said Miriam Mulcahy. The group wants to preserve the remainder of the hill and get Roadstone to commit itself to a public and detailed restoration plan. It also aims to keep local people informed, publicising all decisions made by Kildare CC in respect of the hill.
The committee, chaired by Brian O’Loughlin, has expressed dissatisfaction with Roadstone’s current approach to restoring those areas of the hill that have already been quarried. “It appears that at present it is just a matter of trucks tipping earth onto the face of the hill. What we are seeking is a proper, phased restoration plan,” Ms Mulcahy said.
In a statement issued last week, Roadstone said: “Roadstone Dublin Limited has operated a quarry at the Hill of Allen since the 1940s, providing essential raw materials to the local construction industry. Almost 70 people are directly and indirectly employed at the facility, which operates in compliance with all appropriate legislative, planning and environmental requirements. “On 26 April 2005, Roadstone Dublin Ltd registered its quarry with Kildare County Council as required under section 261 of the Planning and Development Act, 2000. A judicial review is currently underway in relation to this matter and Roadstone Dublin is therefore precluded from commenting any further until that process has reached a conclusion.”
The local committee, meanwhile, is currently active in setting up a website on which people can access information about this issue and an e-mail campaign is already underway, with people asked to contribute their views to hillofallen@eircom.net.
Vicki Weller
© Kildare Nationalist
“Essentially, we are calling on Roadstone to place a height restriction barrier at the entrance to the carpark beside the hill. At present, there are boulders there which are effectively hindering local people from using it as an amenity,” said local committee spokes-person Miriam Mulcahy.
At the meeting, Ms Mulcahy outlined the relevant planning issues to the attendance. Kildare County Council notified Roadstone in March 2006 that, due to the size of the quarry and given concerns about the environmental impact of the works, the company would have to submit a planning application and an environmental impact statement. Roadstone insists that its quarrying on the hill has had no significant effect in environmental terms and has sought a judicial review of the matter.
Anne Davidson addressed the Milltown meeting on the subject of the county development plan, focusing in particular on the regulations and guidelines related to ‘extractive industries’, while Conor Mahony spoke about the historic and cultural significance of the hill. Those in attendance viewed a slide show and were shown a series of large maps which, the organisers claimed, indicated the areas of extraction proposed in Roadstone’s future plans.
“There was a lot of shock when people actually saw exactly how much of the hill is about to be taken away,” said Miriam Mulcahy. The group wants to preserve the remainder of the hill and get Roadstone to commit itself to a public and detailed restoration plan. It also aims to keep local people informed, publicising all decisions made by Kildare CC in respect of the hill.
The committee, chaired by Brian O’Loughlin, has expressed dissatisfaction with Roadstone’s current approach to restoring those areas of the hill that have already been quarried. “It appears that at present it is just a matter of trucks tipping earth onto the face of the hill. What we are seeking is a proper, phased restoration plan,” Ms Mulcahy said.
In a statement issued last week, Roadstone said: “Roadstone Dublin Limited has operated a quarry at the Hill of Allen since the 1940s, providing essential raw materials to the local construction industry. Almost 70 people are directly and indirectly employed at the facility, which operates in compliance with all appropriate legislative, planning and environmental requirements. “On 26 April 2005, Roadstone Dublin Ltd registered its quarry with Kildare County Council as required under section 261 of the Planning and Development Act, 2000. A judicial review is currently underway in relation to this matter and Roadstone Dublin is therefore precluded from commenting any further until that process has reached a conclusion.”
The local committee, meanwhile, is currently active in setting up a website on which people can access information about this issue and an e-mail campaign is already underway, with people asked to contribute their views to hillofallen@eircom.net.
Vicki Weller
© Kildare Nationalist
Tuesday, 13 March 2007
Farmer unaware land was registered as quarry
The case of a farmer whose land was registered as a quarry without his knowledge is to be raised as an emergency issue at a meeting of South Dublin County Council (SDCC) later today.
In recent weeks, farmer Brian Joyce found out that 47 acres of his farm, close to Tallaght in south-west Dublin, had been registered as a quarry with SDCC by Roadstone. The section registered includes the site of his home, his parents' home and the home of his neighbour.
The lands, at Mount Seskin Road, adjoin the De Selby quarry, which is owned and operated by Roadstone, a subsidiary of Irish multinational CRH and one of the largest quarrying firms in the country. The company has said that it is entitled to register the lands and claims to have quarrying rights on them through a lease dating back to 1913.
Mr Joyce said that he had been unable to find any record of the lease in land registry records. He said that he and his family were "shocked and appalled" at the registration and the claims by Roadstone. "The farm has been owned freehold by our family for the last 46 years, and the first we heard about this so-called lease was three weeks ago," he said.
The farm was bought in 1961 by Mr Joyce's father, Thomas, now 89, after he returned from England, where he worked as a labourer. Mr Joyce snr and his wife, Catherine, still live on the farm.
Brian Joyce, who rents additional land from Roadstone, said that he had learned about the registration during a discussion with company representatives. "The land they have registered includes my house, it includes my parents, it includes my neighbours, but none of this is shown. The map they put in is from the 1930s."
Under current planning laws, quarrying companies are required to register a quarry with the relevant county council, in this case South Dublin, and indicate the extent of the quarry in supporting documents. Mr Joyce said that the quarry operator was also required to state who owned the land on which the quarry was located. However, in this section of the form, the company had written "not applicable".
Mr Joyce added: "Not applicable seems to be all we are to Roadstone." He criticised the south Dublin planning department for failing to carry out a check to establish the accuracy of the information supplied by Roadstone and said that this would have shown up a planning application for an extension to his house on the site claimed as a quarry.
Council planners have requested Roadstone to submit a full planning application in relation to the quarry, although the issue surrounding the ownership of some of the lands has yet to be raised by planners, according to SDCC planning documents.
SDCC mayor Eamonn Maloney is to raise the issue by way of an emergency motion later today in an attempt to remove the registration from the records on the basis that the firm supplied incomplete information.
In a statement to The Irish Times, Roadstone declined to comment on the matter of the information provided in the registration. "Roadstone Dublin Ltd registered its quarry at De Selby under Section 261 of the Planning and Development Act in April 2005," the statement said. "As part of that registration, we included land registered to the Joyce farm on which Roadstone Dublin Ltd has quarrying rights by way of a lease in 1913."
Liam Reid
© 2007 The Irish Times
In recent weeks, farmer Brian Joyce found out that 47 acres of his farm, close to Tallaght in south-west Dublin, had been registered as a quarry with SDCC by Roadstone. The section registered includes the site of his home, his parents' home and the home of his neighbour.
The lands, at Mount Seskin Road, adjoin the De Selby quarry, which is owned and operated by Roadstone, a subsidiary of Irish multinational CRH and one of the largest quarrying firms in the country. The company has said that it is entitled to register the lands and claims to have quarrying rights on them through a lease dating back to 1913.
Mr Joyce said that he had been unable to find any record of the lease in land registry records. He said that he and his family were "shocked and appalled" at the registration and the claims by Roadstone. "The farm has been owned freehold by our family for the last 46 years, and the first we heard about this so-called lease was three weeks ago," he said.
The farm was bought in 1961 by Mr Joyce's father, Thomas, now 89, after he returned from England, where he worked as a labourer. Mr Joyce snr and his wife, Catherine, still live on the farm.
Brian Joyce, who rents additional land from Roadstone, said that he had learned about the registration during a discussion with company representatives. "The land they have registered includes my house, it includes my parents, it includes my neighbours, but none of this is shown. The map they put in is from the 1930s."
Under current planning laws, quarrying companies are required to register a quarry with the relevant county council, in this case South Dublin, and indicate the extent of the quarry in supporting documents. Mr Joyce said that the quarry operator was also required to state who owned the land on which the quarry was located. However, in this section of the form, the company had written "not applicable".
Mr Joyce added: "Not applicable seems to be all we are to Roadstone." He criticised the south Dublin planning department for failing to carry out a check to establish the accuracy of the information supplied by Roadstone and said that this would have shown up a planning application for an extension to his house on the site claimed as a quarry.
Council planners have requested Roadstone to submit a full planning application in relation to the quarry, although the issue surrounding the ownership of some of the lands has yet to be raised by planners, according to SDCC planning documents.
SDCC mayor Eamonn Maloney is to raise the issue by way of an emergency motion later today in an attempt to remove the registration from the records on the basis that the firm supplied incomplete information.
In a statement to The Irish Times, Roadstone declined to comment on the matter of the information provided in the registration. "Roadstone Dublin Ltd registered its quarry at De Selby under Section 261 of the Planning and Development Act in April 2005," the statement said. "As part of that registration, we included land registered to the Joyce farm on which Roadstone Dublin Ltd has quarrying rights by way of a lease in 1913."
Liam Reid
© 2007 The Irish Times
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