Latest news with #AreaofOutstandingNaturalBeauty
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
England fans risk £2,500 fine if they flout St George's Cross flag rules
As the England's women's football team gear up for the Euro 2025 final, supporters are being warned that proudly flying the St George's Cross could land them a hefty fine England supporters are being urged to check the rules before proudly flying the St George's Cross outside their homes, or risk a whopping £2,500 fine. With the Lionesses storming into the Women's Euro 2025 final this Sunday against Spain, excitement is reaching fever pitch. But while the nation gets ready to cheer on the team, there's a little-known planning law that could turn celebrations into a costly nightmare. If you're planning to fly an England flag during the big match, the government has mostly relaxed the rules, but there's a major catch. While you're allowed to fly flags from your rooftop, including England, Scotland, Wales, the NHS, LGBT Pride, and even Commonwealth country flags, the trouble starts when the flag is flown from a pole sticking out from the side of your house. In that case, size really does matter. Flags projecting from anywhere other than the roof must not exceed 2 square metres in size. If you go bigger than that, you're breaking the law. If you live in a protected area like an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), then you might need special consent just to put the flag up at all. And if you don't comply, you could be slapped with a fine of up to £2,500, and potentially face daily penalties until the flag is taken down. To stay on the right side of the law, follow these top tips - roof-mounted flagpoles are your safest bet as no size limit applies here, unless you're in an AONB. Side-mounted poles, from windows or balconies, should be under 2m², otherwise you are at risk of getting reported. People are also allowed to fly two flags from the same pole, but one must be a national flag and placed on top. According to the official guidance, all flags must be in good condition and safely displayed, on private property with the owner's permission, not blocking official signs or creating transport hazard, and taken down if ordered by the planning authority. Flags which don't need permission include UK national flags (in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland), flags of the Commonwealth, UN or any UK-member international organisation, regional and local flags (e.g. Yorkshire, Wessex, Black Country), His Majesty's forces and Armed Forces Day flags, and Pride and NHS flags when flown correctly. So, before you deck out your home in red and white to support the Lionesses, make sure you know the rules, or you could be left footing a hefty legal bill instead of celebrating a win.
Leader Live
21-07-2025
- Business
- Leader Live
Bid to extend life of Burley Hill Quarry near Mold rejected
Meeting at County Hall in Ruthin, planning committee members voted to reject Tarmac Trading Ltd's application to continue working Burley Hill Quarry, near Mold, for another 15 years. The proposal, which sought to extend operations without increasing the site's boundaries or the volume of mineral extracted, was refused by 15 votes to three. Tiffany Cox, a chartered surveyor who has worked with Tarmac for eight years, defended the application, telling councillors it was 'simply an extension of time to allow the approved, consented limestone'. She insisted that 'no further land would be disturbed' and argued the limestone was essential for infrastructure. 'Unlike other forms of development, minerals can only be worked where they are found and are essential to build our roads, houses, and other infrastructure,' she said. 'The limestone at Burley already forms part of the landbank, and if this application were refused, the landbank would need to be replenished by extensions at other sites or through the approval of entirely new greenfield quarries.' Despite officers recommending approval, citing the economic need, the proposal faced opposition from residents, community councils, environmental groups, and Senedd Members. But Cllr Alan James proposed approving the application, calling it 'extremely difficult' but acknowledging: 'We clearly have a need.' Cllr Ellie Chard seconded this, adding: 'I feel that we do have to have a landbank… I'm sorry, we need it for our roads and housing, so we do have to have it for Denbighshire and Flintshire, the quantities that we need.' Tarmac Trading Ltd have applied tp Denbighshire County Council with a Section 73 application, which if granted could allow the company to continue working at Burley Hill Quarry for 15 years.. But several councillors spoke strongly against the plan. Cllr Andrea Tomlin argued that 'tranquillity is difficult to measure'. She added: 'I think we get that (sense of need) from the locals, not from the report or paper definition.' She then warned that granting permission would be 'to the detriment of the amenity'. Alyn Valley member Cllr Terry Mendies opposed the plans. 'This is a classic case of common sense prevailing,' he said. 'Look at the residents' objections; the Senedd Members. 'Very succinctly, I would urge members to vote against this.' Cllr Mendies then formally proposed refusal, citing the 'unacceptable impact' on the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and the weight of formal objections. The committee also heard that, if rejected, the applicant could appeal the decision, and that the restoration of the site would be required if it were refused. The proposal had sparked fierce opposition in the run-up to the meeting. The Clwydian Range and Dee Valley AONB Joint Advisory Committee, four local community councils, Madra, Ramblers Cymru, and Senedd Members including Sam Rowlands, Carolyn Thomas, Darren Millar, Llyr Gruffydd, Hannah Blythyn, and Mark Isherwood all raised significant concerns, citing environmental harm, traffic, noise, and damage to tourism. The debate had been delayed twice previously to allow further public consultation. In the end, councillors sided with the objectors, delivering a resounding rejection of the plans, with 15 votes to three. Clwyd West MS Darren Millar welcomed the refusal to extend the life of Burley Hill Quarry, Eryrys. He said: 'I am pleased that common sense has prevailed, and that the majority of planning committee members listened to the concerns raised by the local community and could see the detrimental impact this would have had on the area. Read more 'Residents, Llanferres Community Council, Llanarmon-yn-Iâl Community Council, Nercwys Community Council, and Mold Town Council all opposed the plans, as did the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) joint advisory committee as well as Madra and Ramblers Cymru. 'I thank Cllr Terry Mendies for putting forward the proposal for refusal, I know he has been working hard with the local community in recent years to oppose this application. 'I also thank all other planning committee members who supported his recommendation and voted against the application. 'The dormant quarry is situated in a designated area of outstanding natural beauty, bringing it back into use would have caused much disruption and had a detrimental affect on tourism to the area. Today's outcome is therefore fantastic news!'
North Wales Live
18-07-2025
- Business
- North Wales Live
Controversial plan to reopen quarry in North Wales beauty spot thrown out
A controversial bid to extend the life of a dormant limestone quarry in a protected beauty spot has been thrown out by Denbighshire councillors. Meeting at County Hall in Ruthin this week, planning committee members voted to reject Tarmac Trading Ltd's application to continue working Burley Hill Quarry, near Mold, for another 15 years. The proposal, which sought to extend operations without increasing the site's boundaries or the volume of mineral extracted, was refused by 15 votes to three. Tiffany Cox, a chartered surveyor who has worked with Tarmac for eight years, defended the application, telling councillors it was 'simply an extension of time to allow the approved, consented limestone". She insisted that 'no further land would be disturbed' and argued the limestone was essential for infrastructure. 'Unlike other forms of development, minerals can only be worked where they are found and are essential to build our roads, houses, and other infrastructure,' she said. S ign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox. 'The limestone at Burley already forms part of the landbank, and if this application were refused, the landbank would need to be replenished by extensions at other sites or through the approval of entirely new greenfield quarries.' Despite officers recommending approval, citing the economic need, the proposal faced opposition from residents, community councils, environmental groups, and Senedd Members. But Cllr Alan James proposed approving the application, calling it 'extremely difficult' but acknowledging: 'We clearly have a need.' Cllr Ellie Chard seconded this, adding: 'I feel that we do have to have a landbank... I'm sorry, we need it for our roads and housing, so we do have to have it for Denbighshire and Flintshire, the quantities that we need.' But several councillors spoke strongly against the plan. Cllr Andrea Tomlin argued that 'tranquillity is difficult to measure'. She added: 'I think we get that (sense of need) from the locals, not from the report or paper definition.' She then warned that granting permission would be 'to the detriment of the amenity'. Alyn Valley member Cllr Terry Mendies opposed the plans. 'This is a classic case of common sense prevailing,' he said. 'Look at the residents' objections; the Senedd Members. Very succinctly, I would urge members to vote against this.' Cllr Mendies then formally proposed refusal, citing the 'unacceptable impact' on the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and the weight of formal objections. The committee also heard that, if rejected, the applicant could appeal the decision, and that the restoration of the site would be required if it were refused. The proposal had sparked fierce opposition in the run-up to the meeting. The Clwydian Range and Dee Valley AONB Joint Advisory Committee, four local community councils, Madra, Ramblers Cymru, and Senedd Members including Sam Rowlands, Carolyn Thomas, Darren Millar, Llyr Gruffydd, Hannah Blythyn, and Mark Isherwood all raised significant concerns, citing environmental harm, traffic, noise, and damage to tourism. The debate had been delayed twice previously to allow further public consultation. In the end, councillors sided with the objectors, delivering a resounding rejection of the plans, with 15 votes to three. Public notices in your area
Wales Online
12-07-2025
- Business
- Wales Online
Fury as dormant quarry at Welsh beauty spot set to reopen
Fury as dormant quarry at Welsh beauty spot set to reopen Despite 'so many residents' opposing an extension to operations at The Burley Hill Quarry planning permission is expected to be granted for more limestone to be extracted Tarmac Trading Ltd have applied to continue working at Burley Hill Quarry for 15 years (Image: Local Democracy Reporting Service ) Plans to reopen a dormant quarry in a designated area of outstanding natural beauty have been met with anger. Tarmac Trading Ltd have applied to use Burley Hill Quarry at Eryrys, Denbighshire, for another 15 years with the site originally given planning permission between 1950 and 2021. Denbighshire councillors will discuss the extension of the quarry's lifespan on Wednesday, July 16. If approved, this could permit the firm to continue operations at Burley Hill Quarry for another 15 years. While the quarry in Pant Du Road was granted permission until December 2021 the company now seeks approval to extract an additional 3.8m tonnes of limestone. However opponents of the development cite noise pollution, heavy traffic, environmental damage, and disturbance as reasons to reject the proposal. Concerns have also been raised about potential harm to the tourism industry. The debate has been postponed twice by the planning committee in March and April following councillors' decision to defer the application for further public consultation. Article continues below Despite widespread objections from residents and community councils planning officers are recommending the committee grant permission. Llanferres Community Council, Llanarmon-yn-Iâl Community Council, Nercwys Community Council, and Mold Town Council all oppose the plans. So too does the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) joint advisory committee as well as Madra and Ramblers Cymru. Members of the Senedd, including Sam Rowlands, Carolyn Thomas, Darren Millar, Lyr Gruffydd, Hannah Blythyn, and Mark Isherwood have all raised major concerns Read the biggest stories in Wales first by signing up to our daily newsletter here . Mr Millar MS, speaking on Friday, said: "The reasons for refusing this application are plentiful and I am not surprised that so many residents are up in arms against the application. "Llanferres Community Council have set up a petition against the proposals which has been signed by almost 400 people. The quarry closed 20 years ago and there has been a lot of change in the area since then with many new businesses, many of which rely on tourism to thrive. "We need to protect local residents and businesses from noise and pollution and safeguard road safety along the route from Pant Du through Nercwys and into Mold." He added: "Opposing reopening the quarry will also protect important wildlife habitats and help to maintain the environment in the Clwydian Range Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. An extension to this quarry would be severely detrimental to the local area." A letter sent to Denbighshire from Llanarmon yn iâl Community Council reads: "As the site is located in an area of outstanding natural beauty with narrow roads a further 15 years of extraction would cause unacceptable disruption. "The woods were divided into plots and the offices are now used as holiday accommodation. This holiday accommodation is now too close to the quarry. Since Hendre Quarry (in Flintshire) has gained planning permission for a large extension it would now enable a good supply of better-quality stone." The AONB Joint Advisory Committee also wrote an objection to the council. Their letter said: "Reopening the quarry and extending its life for a further 15 years will have a significant adverse impact on local tranquillity through an increase in noise, heavy traffic, and a general increase in activity and disturbance associated with quarrying operations." But planning officers say that if the quarry is refused permission "reserves would remain unworked and the minerals would be required to be acquired elsewhere" and this would have "implications for the continuity of aggregate supplies in Denbighshire, northeast Wales, and beyond into the northwest region of England". A planning statement added: "It is therefore considered that there is a demonstrable need for the mineral which would outweigh any temporary harm to the tranquillity of the AONB, which can be mitigated. "Whilst it is considered that there would be an impact on tranquillity it would not undermine the natural beauty of the AONB, given the limited time and frequency of the proposed campaign events. "Furthermore the proposed operations would be at a lesser intensity with a reduced output level compared to that of when the site was operational pre-2005 when the AONB designation was in place. Therefore, the impact on tranquillity alone would not justify a reason for refusal of this extension-of-time application and as such, on balance, planning permission should be granted." Article continues below A decision on the plans will be made at a planning meeting scheduled for Wednesday, July 16, at Ruthin County Hall.
North Wales Live
11-07-2025
- Business
- North Wales Live
Fury over bid to extend life of 'dormant' quarry in area of outstanding natural beauty
A planning committee will next week debate extending the life of a dormant quarry in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The debate will take place on Wednesday (July 16) when Denbighshire County Council councillors will discuss Tarmac Trading Ltd's Section 73 application, which if granted could allow the company to continue working at Burley Hill Quarry for 15 years. The quarry on Pant Du Road, Eryrys, near Mold, was originally granted planning permission in 1950 until December 13, 2021, and now the company wants permission to continue extracting 3.8m tonnes of limestone. But those against the development cite noise, heavy traffic, damage to the environment, and disturbance as reasons to reject the plans. Others have raised concerns about the damage to tourism. The debate has twice been delayed by the planning committee in March and April, following councillors voting to defer t he application to allow further public consultation. Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox. But planning officers are recommending the committee grants permission, despite widespread objections from residents and community councils. Llanferres Community Council, Llanarmon-yn-Iâl Community Council, Nercwys Community Council, and Mold Town Council all object to the proposals. So too does the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) joint advisory committee, as well as Madra and Ramblers Cymru. Senedd members Sam Rowland, Carolyn Thomas, Darren Millar, Lyr Gruffydd, Hannah Blythyn, and Mark Isherwood have all raised major concerns. Speaking today (Friday), Darren Millar MS said: 'The reasons for refusing this application are plentiful, and I am not surprised that so many residents are up in arms against the application. Llanferres Community Council have set up a petition against the proposals which has been signed by almost 400 people. The quarry closed 20 years ago, and there has been a lot of change in the area since then with many new businesses, many of which rely on tourism to thrive. 'We need to protect local residents and businesses, from noise and pollution, and safeguard road safety along the route from Pant Du, through Nercwys and into Mold.' He added: 'Opposing reopening the quarry will also protect important wildlife habitats and help to maintain the environment in the Clwydian Range Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. An extension to this quarry would be severely detrimental to the local area.' A letter sent to Denbighshire from Llanarmon yn iâl Community Council reads: 'As the site is located in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with narrow roads, a further 15 years of extraction would cause unacceptable disruption. 'The woods were divided into plots, and the offices are now used as holiday accommodation; this holiday accommodation is now too close to the quarry. Since Hendre Quarry (in Flintshire) has gained planning permission for a large extension, it would now enable a good supply of better-quality stone.' The AONB Joint Advisory Committee also wrote to the council. The letter said: 'Reopening the quarry and extending its life for a further 15 years will have a significant adverse impact on local tranquillity through an increase in noise, heavy traffic, and a general increase in activity and disturbance associated with quarrying operations.' But planning officers say that if the quarry is refused permission, 'reserves would remain unworked, and the minerals would be required to be acquired elsewhere', and this would have 'implications for the continuity of aggregate supplies in Denbighshire, northeast Wales, and beyond into the North West Region of England'. A planning statement added: 'It is therefore considered that there is a demonstrable need for the mineral which would outweigh any temporary harm to the tranquillity of the AONB, which can be mitigated. Whilst it is considered that there would be an impact on tranquillity, it would not undermine the natural beauty of the AONB, given the limited time and frequency of the proposed campaign events. 'Furthermore, the proposed operations would be at a lesser intensity with a reduced output level compared to that of when the site was operational pre-2005 when the AONB designation was in place. Therefore, the impact on tranquillity alone would not justify a reason for refusal of this extension-of-time application and as such, on balance, planning permission should be granted.' The planning meeting takes place on Wednesday 16 July at Ruthin County Hall HQ.
