The company involved in the infilling of a quarry near Bedford asserts that a borough councillor’s remarks may unjustly harm its reputation.
The comments were made during a Planning Committee meeting in November, where members deliberated on an application for temporary facilities as part of the Elstow South Quarry restoration.
One councillor criticised the project as an ‘environmental crime’ and ‘ecological vandalism’.
David Molland, group estates and property manager at FCC Environment, expressed the company’s concerns in a letter to Bedford Borough Council.
Molland highlighted that some comments implied that the quarry infilling activities at Elstow were illegal, potentially causing unwarranted damage to FCC’s reputation.
He emphasised the legal and consented nature of the quarry restoration activities, citing planning consent references.
Molland clarified that the restoration underwent a thorough two-year planning process, receiving public and statutory consultations.
He pointed out the absence of objections from relevant authorities like the council’s conservation officer, arboricultural officer, Natural England, and the Environment Agency.
Molland requested a clear communication of the consented position on Elstow quarry restoration to rectify any misunderstanding about its legality.
Despite the need to address the comments, he emphasised the company’s commitment to transparency.
The Bedford Borough Council declined to comment on the letter, stating that the previous meeting had addressed discussions beyond the application’s scope.
The council spokesperson affirmed that the FCC letter was circulated to members, and the decision to approve was based on the application’s merits.
The councillor who made the critical comments provided ‘no comment’ through their political group representative.
FCC Environment concluded by stating that it had nothing further to add to the matter.
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