I REPLY to the letter from Dr Tom Greeves, chairman of the Dartmoor Society, who clearly has some fascinating views about this planned quarry development at Yennadon.

He speaks on behalf of a membership of 450 people. The implication is that the membership all agrees with his comments. There are serious problems with self-appointed spokespersons who take the opportunity to go into print making outrageous claims in the guise of academic judgement. Sadly I am far from impressed with the spurious logic displayed and pose the following questions.

1. Does Dr Greeves live anywhere near the quarry?

2. Has he ever had the on-going noise of heavy machinery disturbing him, trying to work all day even when doors and windows are shut?

3. Exactly how many of his 450 members have even visited the quarry or looked at the proposals in detail?

4. Does he really want people to take his suggestion that ‘Yennadon Quarry is a cultural icon’ as a serious proposition?

5. The notion that this quarry should be ‘left undisturbed for the education and interest of future generations’ is presumed to mean that future generations can look and see what a scar on the landscape has been left by people unconcerned about the visual impact of ripping out half a hillside. Hardly the educational experience needed at the expense of wilful neglect of Dartmoor. Does Dr Greeves see himself also as an educationalist?

6. Given that Dartmoor National Park refused the original proposal does Dr Greeves see himself more capable that the planning authority to make judgements on planning issues?

7. It is not a small scale operation in terms of noise, lorry movements and general nuisance. What criteria does Dr Greeves use to label activities ‘small scale’?

8. Employment issues are used in an emotive fashion as if this is a mitigating factor and helps the economy. As Dr Greeves points out, quarries by their very nature have a limited lifespan. Recent head counts would indicate that 27 employees is not the number that attends the quarry on a regular basis. The quarry is not due to close at once so unemployment is not going to be a sudden affair, and in any event will be unavoidable in the long run. It is not clear how many workers are in fact ‘local’. The economy is also the buying and selling of houses, the maintenance of roads subjected to heavier and heavier lorries. The economy is a macro not micro issue. Does Dr Greeves also see himself as an expert on matters of the economy?

9. In matters of ecology Dr Greeves sees no threat. I assume he is also an expert on wildlife. I wonder if he has taken the trouble to read the submission to DNP by a local wildlife expert who knows and walks this part of Dartmoor on a daily basis. Perhaps he might like to outline his expertise in this field since he is so confident that no ‘significant threat’ is posed by this development. What first hand knowledge does he have of the bird life on this section of Dartmoor?

The DNP rejected this proposal before with a long list of policy reasons why it should not be supported. I trust in their wisdom they will not be taken in by such nonsense disguised as academic knowledge.

Dr John Howells Dousland