http://www.caernarfonherald.co.uk/caernarfon-county-news/local-caernarfon-news/2012/03/15/plans-for-dyffryn-nantlle-s-dorothea-quarry-unveiled-88817-30537180/ 

Dave

Best get down there and dive it for free before it turns into a stoney cove.

Really good news, slightly terrified about what will happen to some of the relics around there like the old pump house etc, but the area really does need some good luck and I hope it succeeds.

I think I'll wait until I've seen the planning application before I decide whether it's good news or not.

As well as the listed beam engine house on site there are a number of unique structures, particularly the bastions for the chain inclines. In addition the site is probably important as a wildlife sanctuary (it was described to me as an 'ideal example of natural regeneration' by someone from Gwynedd CC) and I'm afraid that any attempt to clear and landscape the site will result in a loss of habitat and bio-diversity, to say nothing of damage to or loss of historical features.

In addition, the area provides a useful informal open space within an otherwise enclosed agricultural landscape, and is used as such by the inhabitants of Nantlle and Talysarn and probably from further afield. I suspect this facility would be lost if the site were to be enclosed and access controlled.

Dave

I think I'll wait until I've seen the planning application before I decide whether it's good news or not.

Dave

I agree. The area needs employment I agree, but this won't help. It'll be a load of promises that won't deliver. Cynical? 'Fraid so. :thumbdown:

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I doubt they can close the area as much as they might like, due to various public rights of way through the whole site!

Interesting headline in one of the local rags "Quarry to reopen as Gold Mine" so perhaps its just a ploy to create a bit of tourism as per California or the Klondike! :angel:

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I doubt they can close the area as much as they might like, due to various public rights of way through the whole site!

It didn't stop them closing the ROWs at Penrhyn! Nor at the Oakeley site..

Grahami

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C'mon folks we've all seen this sort of thing before, remember the plan to turn the old quarries in Llamberis into some sort of ski resort, well where's that gone eh??

The cynic in me thinks that this is no more than blowing sunshine up somebody's back passage, to compensate for their own lack of testicles!!

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I doubt they can close the area as much as they might like, due to various public rights of way through the whole site!

It didn't stop them closing the ROWs at Penrhyn! Nor at the Oakeley site..

Grahami

I cannot speak about the Oakeley example, but Penrhyn was due to H&S and they are only closed "temporarily" mind you, pretty longe twrm temporarily!

I cannot speak about the Oakeley example, but Penrhyn was due to H&S and they are only closed "temporarily" mind you, pretty longe twrm temporarily!

I seem to remember that income tax was introduced as a temporary measure in the 1700's.

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My favourite quote:

"For obvious reasons, we won’t remove all the slate from the site because it is an important part of the landscape and the area’s heritage".

Yeah like removing the slate is feasable. In the NW slate industry there was a unique proposal for a railway - from the Nantlle valley to the coast, for the single purpose of removing slate.

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They don't need to remove the slate - there's a nice big dangerous bottomless pit full of water on site already!

For safety reasons it makes sense to make it a little bit shallower and return all that unsightly slate waste to where it came from.

It will improve the Hotel guests view enormously as they feed the ducks from their pedalos. 😎

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They don't need to remove the slate - there's a nice big dangerous bottomless pit full of water on site already!

For safety reasons it makes sense to make it a little bit shallower and return all that unsightly slate waste to where it came from.

It will improve the Hotel guests view enormously as they feed the ducks from their pedalos. 8-)

Oh does that mean a spot of Boulder trundeling??? - good fun that is, perhaps the developers will let us come and play!

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Spotted this (sort of) related story:

http://www.caernarfonherald.co.uk/caernarfon-county-news/local-caernarfon-news/2012/03/22/twll-balast-not-thought-to-be-contaminated-88817-30595803/ 

Although I am sure I have not heard of it by this name (and do not have my gazeteer to hand) I assume this is the to the right of the old Nantlle Talysarn road, after you leave Nantlle and pass beneath the abutments of the Nantlle tramway bridge.

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That seems to be quite a contradictory article. It starts off saying it is not contaminated, then goes on to say if it is disturbed the contamination at the base of the pit could be disturbed!

All it seems to have discovered is that pollution is not leaking out into the Afon Llyfni (for now).

Also, the contamination I think was in the mid 70s at the latest (not the 80s) as I remember seeing it as a young kid on holiday.

fantasically huge brown rats as I recall. Something industrial (I recall it as white) covered the entire surface.

By the late 80s was a large sign declaring it a health hazard.

Hopefully it never contaminates anything, but I could have told you it was contaminated land and took just half what the experts charged.

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Yes, I remember it being all sorts of colours on the surface including bright yellow in mid 70s. Possibly small scale dumping has been taking place since then, I do not know.

I would have done it for a quarter of their price Andy. :lol: