Geoconservation - II

The Permian Yellow Sands Formation

Within the town and country planning system in the UK, equal weight is now placed on geodiversity and biodiversity and, as part of the Local Development Framework, a resurvey of the RIGS in Doncaster MBC was undertaken in collaboration with the British Geological Survey.

A Permian reef in Doncaster

Drawing on the full resources available to me, the resurvey was completed in much greater detail and the comprehensive report, intended to provide a robust evidence base, required the rewriting of the relevant parts of the geological memoirs that describe this region. 

Further surveys of new sites were carried out, with recommendations made for education, tourism and further scientific research and palaeontological investigations, as part of the Don Gorge Management Plan. 

Although proposals had been made to conserve and interpret a handful of showcase sites that highlight some of the best geology in the county, the local authorities did not consider that this would be public money well spent and my next project was financed by the private sector.

A scaffold at the Green Moor Quarry

At Green Moor, one of the places that was highlighted for its Geoconservation interest, the closure of its only public house prompted the development of the old quarry site on which it was located - for housing.

 

Commissioned to advise on a detailed planning application to build a small housing estate, I specified the work that would be necessary to fully comply with the planning conditions that were required to develop this site.