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| The old Green Moor Quarry RIGS |
Having given my best advice to Hunshelf Parish Council, in respect of Green Moor Quarry, there were no further enquiries until, in 2011, I received a telephone call from Shepherd Homes, requesting contact details for the Sheffield Area Geology Trust (SAGT), which had incorporated the now defunct South Yorkshire RIGS Group into their organisation.
The notional bill for the professional work that I had undertaken to develop this group must have run into very many thousands of pounds, with very little personal financial gain and, by this time, I had made the decision to concentrate on my English Language Services instead.
However, once the developer knew about my work at Green Moor
Quarry, I was commissioned to provide a geological report, in support of a
detailed planning application to build Stoneway Manor, and my interest in
geological conservation was once more revived.
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| Excavations and Trial Pits |
By
the time I arrived to survey this site once again, the old Rock Inn had been
demolished and various trial pits had been excavated, to determine both the
nature of the substrate beneath the car park and next to the old quarry face.
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| A Boundary Fence |
Although
the old quarry face was still predominantly overgrown, a close examination of
the rock exposures visible showed the Greenmoor Rock to be pervaded with
fractures and, in the uppermost sections, the thin beds had been opened up by
the physical and biological weathering processes that are associated with the
formation of the soil horizon.
The
spur of rock that had formed the main part of the exposure seen in 1996 had
partly disintegrated.
Where
accessible from the mound of quarry waste that lay beneath the quarry face at
its lowest part, the line of the site boundary – along which the fences of
overlooking houses were set – appeared to comprise unconsolidated rock waste
and soil. On the whole, the quarry face did not seem to be very
stable.
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| The Green Moor RIGS |
Having taking into account the requirements of the planning
legislation to develop a site containing a RIGS, the developer was keen to
carry out essential work to enhance the geological features of the site.
With the agreement of the planning authority and SAGT, it was considered only
necessary to undertake cleaning work to a 14m long section of the old quarry
face, which nominally constituted the Green Moor Quarry RIGS.
I have always had doubts about this particular site
being conserved for its geological value, especially since I had seen a
much better example of the Greenmoor Rock in the village 5 years earlier, and I
strongly defended the position of the developer when it was suggested that a
viewing point should be specifically made, for the general public to see this
site.
A compromise was made, in respect of the position of the detached garage that was laid out on the original site plan, and which partially obscured the RIGS. It was agreed that the garage should be incorporated into the house instead.
A compromise was made, in respect of the position of the detached garage that was laid out on the original site plan, and which partially obscured the RIGS. It was agreed that the garage should be incorporated into the house instead.
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| Stoneway Manor |
