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Pollution, Air Quality, Noise And Traffic

The Planning Application contains detailed information on air quality. Whilst there is no nationally accepted definition of 'dust' it is important to remember that the prevailing winds, particularly during windy dry days do blow dust from the direction of Barton Quarry towards Barton. It is possible to blame this on vehicles using the lorry park – dust on the road leading immediately from the entrance of the quarry itself suggests those vehicles are not wholly responsible. There is not a defined dust size – larger particles drop near the point of origin but finer ones travel greater distances. An inevitable consequence of quarrying is dust. Complaints have, in the past been made to Richmondshire District Council in this respect.

Picture taken 12 April 2006 at 17:40hrs (camera time) evidences dust travelling from Barton Quarry in the direction of Barton village.

The Planning Application makes use of average weather conditions over a five year period. An estimate is made of the number of days when a severe nuisance might be expected to be caused by the combination of dust generating activity and weather conditions. Use of the phrase "could be up to…days" is used. This is a reference to the number of days under average conditions. It is not an estimate of the maximum number of days based on the worst case conditions during that period. Being based on average days it is not necessarily representative of actual weather patterns particularly as climate change leads us to longer warmer periods over the course of a year.