Our Summer Newsletter is now available online by clicking on the link below.
The theme for the next Newsletter is Water and we aim to publish it in February 2020.
If you want to contribute to it then please get in touch with Alyson Phillips at newsletter@buxtoncivicassociation.org.uk
We hope you enjoy our Summer edition.
Buxton Civic Association (BCA) is a registered charity established to preserve Buxton’s natural and formal landscape. The Association has a large active membership from the local community.
BCA is commenting on the planning application for the installation of a water pipeline from Rockhead Spring to the Nestle Plant, Buxton, HPK 2019/0097. It is understood that a trench 600mm wide and 1200mm deep will be excavated to install two 65mm stainless steel pipes and two 150mm ducts for power and data lines.
BCA notes that there is a current licence in place for water abstraction from Rockhead Spring. The licence, which is valid until 2030, allows for up to 175,000 m3 per year to be abstracted in accordance with the requirements of the abstraction license issued by the Environment Agency.
Bowland Ecology Ltd has undertaken an arboriculture and ecological appraisal, along the line of the route from the spring to the plant. This has involved an evaluation and assessment of the route identifying potential areas of impact and mitigation measures to be adopted. At this stage it is not known whether the assessment meets the requirements of Natural England.
The majority of the route follows existing paths/tracks, verges and semi-improved grassland. However the pipeline route passes through 125m section of the Peak Dales SAC following the route of a footpath that may also be an old vehicular route with a field gate. The woodland, Pigtor Wood, is a designated SSSI and forms part of the SAC. It is noted that a section also passes through a small section of Cunning Dale South LWS and two HPIs.
BCA has visited the site, reviewed the geology of the proposed route (this summary report can be provided on request) and considered some potential aspects relating the pipeline.
BCA has the following comments to make:
1. None of the documents supporting the planning application state whether any alternative, less environmentally sensitive routes have been considered for the pipeline;
2. Natural England and Derbyshire Wildlife Trust are both consultees to the planning application. BCA will rely on the statutory consultees to comment on the ecological aspects of the proposed route and whether planning permission should be granted and any mitigation measures to be adopted;
3. Method Statement – a detailed method statement for any ecologically sensitive areas and for protecting small mammals from becoming trapped in the trench should be prepared prior to any works commencing;
4. Japanese Knotweed/invasive species – to minimise any potential issues arising from the presence of such species it would be appropriate for the landowner or contractor to identify, treat and destroy prior to works commencing to minimise the potential for spread following construction works;
5. A qualified ecologist and wildlife expert (e.g. badgers) should be present on site during any works being undertaken in areas designated as being environmentally sensitive to oversee and ensure any ecological/wildlife impacts are minimised;
6. No excess excavation materials from trenching should be disposed of on site in any designated sensitive areas and in accordance with the requirements of Natural England;
7. Consideration should be given to establish depth to bedrock and whether it will be possible to construct a trench along the line of the path in Pigtor Wood and other areas given the shallow soils with bedrock. Where the pipeline installation occurs in areas of no exposure, it would be helpful to sample the rock (including orientation data) at intervals to confirm the geological mapping of the area. Samples might be sent to the British Geological Survey;
8. At the top of Ashwood Dale, the line of the pipeline follows a path to the A6. On the east side of the path there are outcrops of the Woo Dale Limestone and at the lower part of the path the Woo Dale Dolomite. One outcrop shows a clear contact between massive bedded (dolomitic?) limestone and a finely bedded calcilutite, typical of the Woo Dale Limestone Formation. This contact and its structural information should be preserved.
Link to Planning application documents on HPBC Portal
Proposed route of pipeline near Pigtor woods
An outcrop of limestone on the east side of Farfield Road, Buxton (Fig 1) displays an excellent example of Carboniferous corals. The outcrop at [53°15'40.56"N 1°54'19.55"W] is a 3m vertical section, 25m long, set back 20m from the road.
The rock is the Eyam Limestone, of the Late Brigantian sub-stage (CX)(P2) of the Visean, Mississippinian stage of the Carboniferous. It is a dark grey limestone with distinctive chert bands (BGS Lexicon, 2019).
The coral is Siphonodendron junceum (Aretz and Nudds, 2005) – Order: Rugosa; Family: Lithostrotionidae. It is a reef build up, colonial rugose coral. This coral is displayed in transverse and cross sections of large (40cm) colonial masses (Fig. 2).
The importance of the site is that it is an excellent example of a colonial coral, easily seen over a long stretch of outcrop.
References.
M. Aretz and J. Nudds. 2005. The coral fauna of the Holkerian/Asbian boundary stratotype section (Carboniferous) at Little Asby Scar (Cumbria, England) and implications for
boundary. Stratigraphy 2(2):167-190. https://www.bgs.ac.uk/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?pub=EYL
Fig 1 Outcrop of coralliferous, Carboniferous Limestone on the east side of Fairfield Road, Buxton
FIG 2 A & B) Colonial masses of S. junceum C) Oblique section of S. junceum D) Cross section of S. junceum. All Farfield Road site.
Alyson Phillips BCA director presenting a cheque to John Boardman towards the irrigation system at the Serpentine Community Farm.
Buxton Civic Association Director Alyson Phillips presented a cheque for £600 to John Boardman, Grower at the Serpentine Community Farm, to fund the cost of the components for an automatic watering system for the greenhouse and polytunnels.
Alyson Phillips commented that “Buxton Civic Association has always actively supported Serpentine Community Farm and the restoration of this important Heritage site. When we heard about this opportunity to educate locals and visitors about a targeted irrigation system that conserves water and saves energy we were happy to help out.”
John Boardman said “summers seem to be getting hotter and the system we will build with this generous gift will save our volunteers a huge amount of work shifting water and give us a much better way of meeting the needs of our plants. The gift is much appreciated.”
The Serpentine Community Farm is off Burlington Road and is open on Wednesday’s and Sunday’s from 11-3 pm. Visitors and Volunteers are welcome.
The members talk will be on Thursday 14th March at 7.30pm this month at Poole’s Cavern Visitor centre.
Byron Machin is talking to us on the ‘Stone Circles of the Peak District.’
Byron is a documentary maker, writer, professional lecturer and Geography teacher from the Staffordshire Moorlands. Born in Leek, he has a passion for all aspects of the landscape history since he was a young boy.
The talk is free to members and their friends.
“The Buxton Civic Association were delighted to see the positive response to our idea of celebrating the many individuals and groups who work tirelessly to help conserve and share the outstanding human and natural heritage of our town. It was excellent that so many people came to Poole’s Cavern to hear about the often unsung work of these people and to witness them receiving our BCA Heritage Hero awards. We hope this will encourage others to join in with this important work and maybe put themselves in the running for our Heritage Heroes Awards in the future.” Peter Phillipson Acting Chair Buxton Civic Association
If you would like to volunteer for next years butterfly survey, please contact us using the contact form on this website.