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LOCALS CHALLENGE GOVERNMENT OVER FAILED PROMISE TO PROTECT ANCIENT FOREST

26 Mar 1998

Massive quarries threaten Forest of Dean and Lower Wye Valley

PHOTOCALL

1pm, Thursday 26 March 1998, just north of Downing Street, London.
A low-loader carrying a tracked digger will unload thousands of signed postcards from two post boxes placed on the digger. A delegation, including the Chairman of the Forest of Dean District Council, local MP Diana Organ, local campaigners and FOE Director Charles Secrett,will then take them to 10 Downing Street. Two giant postcards (6 feet by 4 feet) will also be carried.

Angry Forest of Dean residents are sending a top level delegation to Downing Street to protest at the Government's failure to keep its pre-election promise to protect the Forest from the devastating effects of quarrying. The delegation, including the the Chair of the District Council, local MP and local campaigners (Action Against Quarrying, Friends of the Earth and CPRE) will deliver thousands of signed postcards from residents urging the Government to keep its word. Afterwards the delegation will visit Parliament to try and discuss the situation with Ministers.

The Forest of Dean and Lower Wye Valley are under threat from plans to quarry 44.4 million tonnes of limestone. Five 'Areas of Search' have been identified by Gloucestershire County Council, including an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Shortly before the General Election, Labour promised to "offer the Forest of Dean a new'custom built' special status appropriate to its unique history and character". A pledge warmly supported by 98 % of forest residents. Since coming to power Labour has done nothing to keep its promise, to the increasing anger of local people. Indeed, Planning Minister Richard Caborn told a recent meeting of people from the Forest that despite the promise he could rule nothing out and nothing in.

Peter Chard of local campaign group Action Against Quarrying said:

"We intend to show the Prime Minister the depth of feeling expressed by thousands of people in the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley. Tony Blair must realise that many of those who signed the postcards expressed their view that the promise to give the Forest special protection was


a cynical political move designed to win back the Forest seat for Labour. They feel that Labour had no intention of keeping its promise and are feeling so disillusioned that they will not vote Labour again. Tony Blair has stated on a number of occasions that Labour will keep its pre-election promises: today we are giving him a golden opportunity to do just that. If he fails to keep this pledge to the Forest he will reap the consequnces at the next election."

Elaine Gilligan, Quarrying Campaigner at Friends of the Earth, said:

Quarrying is a major threat to numerous communities throughout the UK. The Government must do more to protect them as well. Sadly, a major opportunity was lost when the Chancellor failed to introduce an aggregates tax in the Budget. Alternatives to quarrying, such as recycling building waste will be more attractive by making the quarrying industry pay the real price of destroying huge tracts of land. Such moves will be good for the countryside and create jobs."

Briefing paper available on request from FOE

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