Wild Land News no 54, Winter 2001/2002

Superquarry News Article

Despite being refused planning permission just over a year ago by the Scottish Executive in the longest planning wrangle in Scottish legal history, the application for a coastal superquarry at Lingerbay on Harris refuses to die. The applicants, Lafarge Aggregates, are now trying to revive a 36-year-old planning consent which covers an area four times greater than that to which the recent refusal referred. The Western Isles Council argue that the 1965 consent is no longer in force, but Lafarge Aggregates dispute this and an enquiry is to be held in order to determine its validity.

Meanwhile, the threat of another coastal superquarry on Loch Eriboll receded as the Liechstenstein-based owners of the land, a company known as Vibel SA, have offered to sell their 2300 acres to the local crofting community at Laid. Vibel SA have owned the land for 20 years, but as far as the locals are aware, no-one from the company has ever visited the place. The clerk of the Laid grazings committee, Hugh Maclellan, said "The sole reason they are here is to lodge a planning application for a coastal superquarry." The locals, he said, had resolved to lead the objections in such an event.