§ Mr. MartlewTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the sites which have been identified in Scotland as having potential for the development of superquarries; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Stewart[holding answer 22 February 1993]The Scottish Development Department's 1977 national planning guidelines on aggregate working provisionally identified five potential locations for superquarry development: Peterhead, Loch Linnhe, Helmsdale, Harris and the Ross of Mull. In 1980 a subsequent preliminary research report entitled "Potential for a Large Coastal Quarry in Scotland" produced a short-list of five locations with suitable mineral deposits and marine access. These were South Harris, Loch Ewe, Loch Linnhe, Kentallen, and Walls (Shetland Isles). In addition, the Highland region structure plan (approved in 1990) identified Loch Eriboll. More recently a study by ARUP consultants for the Department of the Environment identified a number of broad locations in Scotland where the geological and other technical criteria exist for the development of coastal superquarries ie Shetland, the Western Isles and parts of the west and north coast. The draft national planning policy guidelines on land for mineral working published in 1992 do not specify any other locations.
Any proposals for the development of coastal superquarries will be assessed on their merits and full regard will be had to their possible environmental impact.