Dorset County Council, Stone Firms Ltd and Portland Stone Firms Ltd have agreed to settle their dispute over access to extract stone within the Portland Coastal Strip for an undisclosed sum. The matter will not now be heard by the Lands Tribunal in June as previously scheduled. The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) will reimburse the council for the compensation paid.
Stone Firms Ltd has permission to quarry the Coastal Strip with the exception of a Special Area of Conservation (SAC), which was protected by a modification of the 1951 planning permission in 2009.
The county council will seek to enter dialogue with Stone Firms Ltd about any future stone extraction from the Coastal Strip. The company and the council have agreed to work together to ensure that the impacts of any future operations can be minimised. The council will be encouraging Stone Firms Ltd to extract stone by mining where possible rather than open quarrying in accordance with its policies.
Frequently asked questions about Portland Coastal Strip can be found at https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/sport-leisure/walking/walking-routes-and-trails/walking-in-weymouth-and-portland.aspx
