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Nottingham Post
Nottingham Post
National
Matthew Bunn & Joseph Ash

Anger as brush and porcelain found in rubble used to fix Peak District path

Complaints have been made over a number of unusual items discovered in rubble used to fix a right of way at a popular East Midlands beauty spot.

Maintenance work recently took place along the Pin Dale path, near Hope, a limestone-based trail running all the way to the picturesque Peak District town of Castleton.

However, the work, given the go-ahead by Derbyshire County Council, appears to be against the original plans for the work, which would have used locally-sourced limestone.

Derbyshire Live reports that instead, a collection of mixed tarmac road planings and general rubble from an unknown site has been used on the protected landscape.

Chris Maloney, speaking on behalf of the Peak District Mountain Bike group, said: "I had a friend who went up to the path to check it out and they found bits of broken porcelain and parts of a (wire) brush embedded into the ground."

"Look, there was a bit of water erosion and we anticipated a small bit of work as the path has a broad range of traffic, but we don't think this level was needed."

High Peak MP Robert Largan and Derbyshire Live both contacted Derbyshire County Council about the issue. The council said the work has now been halted.

Mr Largan said: "I contacted Derbyshire County Council, urging them to halt all further works on the ground to prevent further damage to the paths whilst this is investigated.

"They have now agreed to halt the works and resurface the byway with locally-sourced limestone."

Derbyshire County Council spokesperson said: “Before work started we consulted and agreed with the Peak Park, Natural England and Historic England that a specific locally-sourced limestone would be used on the site.

“However, due to site conditions it was considered, with good intentions, that a recycled material would be better to form a good foundation, with a further layer of the locally-sourced limestone on top to complete the job.

“Following the concerns raised about the recycled material not being appropriate we are now looking at removing it and replacing it fully with locally-sourced limestone, as was the original intention.

“We have halted work on-site while we liaise with stakeholders about our proposal to remove the recycled material and will restart work as soon as this plan has been agreed.”

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