‘Nightmare’ quarry blasts spark calls for halt amid flooding fears

Emily Price 

Residents forced to endure earth-shaking blasts from a nearby quarry have called on its owners to suspend blasting operations until an investigation has determined what caused homes to flood in a village eight miles away.

Residents living in the shadow of Craig yr Hesg Quarry in Glyncoch, Rhondda Cynon Taf, have written to its owner, Heidelberg Materials, raising serious concerns after people in nearby Gwaelod-y-Garth in Taff’s Well were forced to evacuate their homes on Thursday (July 30).

It’s understood that the severe flooding occurred minutes after residents heard a loud “blast” from a nearby quarry.

Emergency services urged people to avoid the area, while Natural Resources Wales said it was monitoring “visible discolouration” in the River Taff caused by the incident.

Cabinet Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning, Siân Gwenllian, said the relevant authorities had launched an investigation into the incident “to understand exactly what happened”.

In a letter to Heidelberg Materials, a community campaign leader in Glyncoch wrote: “In light of today’s terrible incident in Taff’s Well where homes have been severely flooded due to a quarry blast, I request an immediate postponement of future blasts at Craig Yr Hesg in Pontypridd operated by Heidelberg Materials until an investigation has been conducted at Taffs Well.

“We simply cannot afford for this to happen again, next time it could be lives lost.

“Craig yr Hesg quarry is less than 8 miles from Taff’s Well and residents have raised their concerns for years with very little joy in Heidelberg working with the community to ease their concerns.

“We at Glyncoch have dealt with flooding, dust issues, health issues and injunctions from the quarry due to our protests. This needs to be stopped.

“This needs to be investigated and findings published that guarantees the safety of blasts.”

Residents of Glyncoch have described life beside Craig yr Hesg Quarry as a “nightmare”, citing the impact of regular blasting, fears that it has caused cracks in their homes, and concerns about the health effects of dust clouds that frequently blanket the valley village.

Children

Video footage filmed at a local school last year captured the moment young children covered their ears and flinched as a quarry blast shook the area.

Craig yr Hesg Quarry was given the go-ahead for expansion in 2022 after an appeal was approved by climate change minister Julie James under the previous Labour Welsh Government.

It came after Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council (RCTCBC) twice rejected expansion proposals following concerns about the community’s wellbeing.

Despite planning regulations identifying a buffer of 200m as being a suitable minimum distance between quarries and residential areas, the quarry’s expansion brought its working area to within 109m from the nearest property.

The quarry’s operator, Heidelberg Materials UK, is mining for blue pennant sandstone – a material used in skid resistant road surfaces.

The stone found at Craig yr Hesg has been described as one of the highest quality in the UK with 10 million tonnes expected to be quarried at the site over the next two decades.

But people living nearby say they have suffered years of ongoing heavy traffic in the areas as well as breathing difficulties and mental health issues.

Nation.Cymru asked Heidelberg Materials UK if it could provide assurances that Glyncoch homes were not at risk flooding on the scale seen in Taff’s Well.

Area Director Marius Klein, said: “First and foremost, our thoughts are with those affected by yesterday’s events in Taff’s Well, and we recognise the concern it has raised about quarrying operations in the wider area.

“We want to reassure local people that each quarry’s geological profile is very unique and
Craig-yr-Hesg quarry is very different to Taff’s Well.

“There are no comparable bodies of water situated in close proximity to our site, either
nearby or underground, that would pose a risk to our operations or to the community.

“We are confident in moving forward with our routine blasting schedule, and our operations
at Craig-yr-Hesg quarry continue to follow all regulatory requirements in line with our
planning conditions, allowing us to supply vital construction materials to our customers.”

The Welsh Government declined to comment on the concerns raised by Glyncoch residents on the grounds that the regulation of active mines and quarries is not a devolved matter and therefore does not fall within its remit.

Dust

Plaid Cymru Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr Member of the Senedd Heledd Fychan has long supported residents of Glyncoch in their campaign against Craig yr Hesg Quarry.

While in opposition she warned that “continued blasting for the blue Pennant sandstone generates crystalline silica and heavy and prolonged exposure can cause serious respiratory disease, including cases of COPD.”

Heidelberg Materials has previously said there is “no evidence” to suggest any link between quarrying and lung disease among members of the public who live close to quarries and has argued the blasts are well within permitted peak particle velocity (vibration) levels.

Ms Fychan’s party was elected to form the Welsh Government following the Senedd election in May and she has since been appointed Trefnydd, Chief Whip and Cabinet Minister for Culture and Sport.

Nation.Cymru invited Ms Fychan to comment on this story but a spokesperson said she wasn’t available.

It is understood that Ms Fychan’s team received emails today raising concerns about Craig yr Hesg Quarry and will liaise with those involved as a matter of urgency.

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