January 2012- Publication of the New Minerals Plan Local Consultation Document

In January 2012, the new Minerals Plan Local Consultation Document was published and was also accessible on line.

As the Council had notified relatively few homes in Burton Joyce of this document, The Residents Association made it a priority to publicise the consultation process as widely as possible to residents. We arranged for a NCC display of information about the Minerals Plan to be placed in Burton Joyce library for 2 weeks, distributed leaflets and information to as many homes as possible, put up posters and held an information stall outside Burton Joyce Co –op on 2 Saturday mornings in March .

The Association’s Response

Our written submission was sent to the Planning Team detailing our continuing concerns that had been raised before in relation to the previous Gunthorpe and Bulcote application. No specific sites for extraction have as yet been identified and will not be until 2014, but if this area of the Trent Valley were to be chosen for sand and gravel extraction, we stressed the increased risk of flooding, potential threats to the safety of nearby properties and considerable disturbance to adjacent communities. In addition, naturally, we deplored the potential destruction of a valuable wild-life and recreation area.

April 2011- Chairman’s meeting with Wayne Allum

In April 2011, the Chairman met the Head of the Planning Team overseeing the Notts. County Council Minerals and Waste Plan.

NCC was currently reviewing the county’s overall minerals needs for the next 10-15 years. This would re-assess all sites and needs afresh, with no sites simply being re-assigned because they had been included in the old Minerals Plan.

January 2011

The start of 2011 was overshadowed by the failing health and untimely death in early March of Julie O’Neill.

Julie was the Association’s greatest asset in our successful fight to prevent Tarmac from quarrying the river bank from Gunthorpe to Burton Joyce. She was a remarkable woman of many talents. Her tireless efforts, tenacious investigation and masterful documents made a huge contribution to the campaign against Tarmac’s proposed quarrying, leading to their withdrawal from the process in 2007.

The village owes her a lasting debt for her unstinting commitment to the preservation of its wild life and recreational areas.