Campaign Film

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This film documents the Stop Bengeo Quarry campaign from its early days to the refusal of planning permission by the County Council. Campaign to Protect Rural England Rural Living Awards 2017 The SBQ campaign has been put forward for the CPRE Rural Living Awards 2017 - Community Award. We believe the campaign has met all the main criteria: * give added value to community life * have something innovative about them * used by all areas and ages of the community * bring the community together * vibrant * provide for continuity. We also meet some of the Environment Award criteria: * promote access to the countryside * celebrate Hertfordshire’s landscapes * enhance the countryside for all to enjoy. Further details about the award can be found here.: http://www.cpreherts.org.uk/awards/rural-living-awards/item/2408-2017-rural-living-awards-get-underway Please find below an extract from the application for the award explaining the reasons for nominating Stop Bengeo Quarry. Stop Bengeo Quarry campaign group has been very successful in energising people of all ages to fight...
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Minerals Local Plan Review

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We understand that potential 23 areas for working quarry have been submitted to Herts County Council. The HCC will now select the cull of preferred areas for public consultation, which is now expected to take place around October. Our ambition is to have the entire Stoney Hills area (i.e. from Bengeo to A602) excluded from MLP. We believe all the arguments against the previous Bengeo quarry proposal (including landscape protection, local amenity of the area, and the risk of water supply pollution) apply against making it a preferred MLP area for extracting gravel. However, if the land goes through to the public consultation, we will respond as strongly as we have done before. Rickney's Quarry in 2016 Local District Plan and HERT4 developments The East Hertfordshire District Plan consultation has been finalised earlier this year. The Secretary of State has appointed an inspector to carry out the independent examination of the Plan. She will determine whether the Plan has been prepared in...
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Stop Bengeo Quarry: What Next?

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The campaign committee met last week to discuss the likely areas of focus for the coming year. We agreed on the following priorities: to continue campaigning against quarrying in Bengeo Field, Rickneys and neighbouring areas both through engaging in Minerals Local Plan public consultation (expected in October) or any potential appeal from the applicant whose proposal was recently rejected to continue campaigning for restoration of Rickneys quarry areas to support engagement in responding to development plans in HERT4 (which includes Bengeo Nursery) through Bengeo Neighbourhood Plan. As always - we are looking for people who are interested to be involved in a specific activity or overall. We are also looking for volunteers happy to help as press officers. Please get in touch also with any ideas and suggestions!...
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Feedback From Planning Department

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The following comments have been received from the County Council's planning officer, Felicity Hart: "I’d just like to thank you and everyone else who has got involved for all your hard work. It was really appreciated, you know. In more than 30 years of planning I would say that your group of local people has worked the hardest and produced the best response to any planning application I have ever dealt with! So, well done." "We don’t know what the future holds; the applicant may wish to appeal, or may wish to submit a different version of the planning application. Only time will tell. But what has struck me is how well you have all worked together and how all sections of the community have been involved too (including the school children). The planning process may have been uncertain and stressful at times, but it has also had the benefit of bringing the community together, with a shared sense of purpose and...
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Campaign Feedback

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Following the success opposing the planning application for a gravel quarry north of Bengeo, we've had some great feedback on the campaign. "I have so much admiration for you all. [SBQ] have done such a fantastic piece of work. So incredibly proud of you, [SBQ] brought everyone together to fight for what you all believe to be right for the future of not just Bengeo but surrounding villages and hamlets. But maybe more importantly future generations." Cllr Patricia Moore, East Herts District Council "Well done everyone with the result today – well deserved and befitting of a great campaign. With the withdrawal of the application in 1997 and the rejection of this one I suspect we all hope this is now a dead subject." Tom McMullen, Joint Managing Director. McMullens & Sons Ltd, Hertford Brewery "Bengeo owes you much. [..] Critically important was the relationships [SBQ] developed with a range of people in widely differing professional and personal situations. [..] But this is really to thank [SBQ]...
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Campaign Invited To School

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Following the success of the Stop Bengeo Quarry team’s campaigning last week, the Headteacher Mrs Starkiss invited Libby Mountford and Aska Pickering to talk to KS2 pupils at Bengeo Primary School. Libby talked about why the residents and campaigners opposed the application for a quarry in such close proximity to the school and houses, and why she, as the Governor of the School, was keen to be involved in the campaign. Aska told the pupils about how she believed the success of the campaign depended on the combined effort of many residents, experts, and children living in Bengeo and the Hertford area. She also talked about the beginning of the campaign and the importance of not giving up when things don’t look too easy. At the end children watched one of the short films from Bengeo Field Fun Day in the school grounds last summer. When asked to vote for the preferred event to celebrate the community getting together to protect the Bengeo...
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Is It Really Over?

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A number of people have been asking, "does this mean the threat of the quarry has gone forever?". Sadly, no.  It's possible that the applicant may submit an amended proposal intended to address the reasons for this application's rejection.  They have 12 months to do that.  Alternatively they might appeal against the Council's decision.  The time limit is 6 months. Also, for as long as the Bengeo field is part of the County Council's "Preferred Area 2" for gravel extraction there is a risk that a new application will be made that could succeed.  For example, Hanson might apply for an extension to Rickneys Quarry that includes the field. If that happened some of the grounds that led the committee to reject the application on Wednesday may not apply. There's more work to be done and we will keep you updated.<...
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We Stopped Bengeo Quarry!!

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A huge congratulations to Bengeo! We pulled together as a community to fight proposals to dig a quarry in Bengeo – and we won!! On 22nd March proposals were unanimously turned down by HCC’s Development Control Committee held at County Hall. This was largely due to the overwhelming support from local residents who worked hard to form a united front and campaign against the proposals. Everyone who has supported the campaign has made a huge difference. You have helped protect your local area, environment and quality of life, as well as safeguard the health of future generations. Thank you!! What next? While this is a huge victory for Bengeo and Hertford, we will continue to fight to protect our community and surrounding environment. The next step in our campaign is to ask for the area to be removed from the Minerals Local Plan, which is expected to be open to public consultation in second half of this year. This should help to safeguard...
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County Council Refuses Planning Permission

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The County Council's Development Control Committee have unanimously voted to refuse planning permission for the quarry north of Bengeo. Councillors lined up to voice their concerns about the application. Cllr Andrew Williams said: "I am overwhelmingly of the view that we should reject this application". Cllr Muir commented: "I came to this meeting this morning with an open mind, but listening to the speakers including Dr Lovell, I find I cannot support this application, for all the reasons we have heard". Cllr Peter Ruffles also opposed the plan: "I support the local member Andrew Stevenson, the landscape structure is the number one reason for rejecting the application. I cannot support this application.". Campaign chair Aska Winiewska-Pickering expressed delight at the decision: "I think it is safe to say that today’s outcome exceeded our expectations. We would like to thank absolutely every single person who has joined the Stop Bengeo Quarry campaign today and throughout the past year. There are so many people who supported...
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