Quarry firm claims order to demolish Bolton head office would put 200 jobs at risk

A QUARRY firm claims more than 200 jobs would be at risk if it is not allowed to keep a lorry maintenance building, service road and a huge hardstanding area after building them without planning permission.

Armstrongs Aggregates Ltd faces enforcement action which compels them to demolish the ‘logistical hub’ for their Montcliffe and Pilkington quarries operation close to George’s Lane, Horwich.

The company says the entire quarry operation and more than 200 jobs are at risk if they are forced to pull down the area. They also claim the enforcement action is an ‘overreaction’ by the council.

Around two years ago, Armstrongs built offices, lorry maintenance sheds, a HGV parking area, a petrol pump and walls on land to the west of Makinson Lane, Horwich between Montcliffe and Pilkington quarries.

In April, a meeting of Bolton’s planning committee heard the hardstanding area and buildings were constructed partially outside the permitted mining footprint on green belt land known as Marden’s Farm.

They refused a retrospective planning application for the site.

At that meeting Armstrongs said the reason that the work was carried out without planning permission was due to ‘a mistake or misunderstanding’ on where the boundaries were for permitted development of the quarry site.

On June 30, Bolton Council issued an enforcement notice which gave the firm 120 days to demolish the affected buildings and rip up the hardstanding.

Armstrongs have now appealed the enforcement notice and an inquiry will be held by the Planning Inspectorate on the matter, on a date to be decided.

In documents filed recently with Bolton Council, Armstrongs said if their appeal fails they would be unable to continue their business and more than 200 jobs would be at risk.

Their submission states: “It is the appellant’s view that planning application for the latest breaches ought to have been granted planning permission.

“The appellant provides circa 200 jobs ranging from unskilled, skilled, administrative and management.

“The closure of the HGV parking and maintenance area would mean that the quarry could not supply customers.

“The loss of the head office would mean the company would not be able to satisfactorily administer its business across the quarries and concrete batching plants it operates.

“The 200 jobs are directly employed.

“In the event the appellant could not continue to run its business, the loss on employment would be far greater given the significant reliance on indirect employment that a quarrying operation requires.

“Given the long history of use of the appeal site for ancillary mining uses for more than 30 years, the refusal appears to be an overreaction to the nature of the development.”

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