" .... Another point which seems to be completely overlooked is the so called "restoration". At the moment this land is productive and gives employment. This will cease when gravel is extracted, and the land will never be productive again.
In all mineral and industrial developments in the past, little thought has been given to restoration (from the 18th century on), but eventually the land can no longer be tolerated in the condition it was left, and restoration at vast cost is carried out. You only have to look at the iron ore diggings at Corby and Scunthorpe, or the industrial areas and coal fields in South Wales, to see what has to be done.
We are being left with the field system but no land, only water. The talk of reed beds, as if they contribute to the wealth and employment of the country needs rigorous investigation if it is to be justified. Today, when we need all the agricultural land to feed ourselves, to willfully destroy it, and leave it derelict seems perverse.
You may be interested that it is normal practice in mineral extraction internationally, to ring fence a proportion of the turnover from the mineral sales for restoration, thus avoiding the need for our children to pay for it."
Comments submitted by Philip Rogers, Yelford
