TOP level talks will be held in a bid to end a seven-year legal wrangle over a Bacup quarry.

Rossendale councillors will request an urgent meeting with county councillors to find a way of forcing owners of Little Tooter Quarry to restore the land.

The county will be told that Rossendale has run out of patience with a dispute which has seen two sets of owners ignore planning decisions and enforcement notices and has led to a court case when the owner was fined.

The quarry, at the entrance to the town, has been operating without authority since 1990 when an original planning application expired.

Since then it has been the subject of two enforcement notices and two planning appeals, both of which were dismissed by inspectors.

A third planning appeal is still to be determined. A report to Rossendale's planning committee says: "After seven years the quarry still remains unrestored and subject to other unauthorised activity."

Councillors were told Lancashire County Council was reluctant to take any further action until the last appeal was determined.

But borough engineer Philip Cunliffe told the committee: "Both current and previous owners have been given more than enough time and leeway to resolve matters.

"To allow this totally unsatisfactory situation to continue further - at no little cost to the public purse - can only send out the wrong sort of signals about the effectiveness of the planning control and enforcement system."

Coun David Baron added: "You don't have to go through this report for very long to realise how problematic the planning and enforcement system is. It's an absolute disaster.

"People lose appeals but nothing happens year after year. This has happened three times and we are nowhere near a resolution."

Members of Bacup Moors Action Group have also complained about the length of time the situation has continued.

Councillors are also to ask the new government for a tightening up of procedures.

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