The beauty of Cockley Beck that ran through Laneside Quarry has been enjoyed for generations of people local to Kirkheaton. It had a public footpath that passed through bluebell woods and dropped into a hidden ravine where you could spot badgers, roe deer and countless birds. The area around had been allowed to develop as woodland and rough grassland where barn owls, buzzards and kestrels hunted.  

Many rare birds such as skylarks, garden warbler, grasshopper warbler and lapwing nested there each year. it was a haven for nature.

The area has planning permission for infilling with soil. In the last year the ravine has been entirely filled in, burying the stream and all the trees around and the footpath has been diverted. More and more livestock are grazing the grassland around and much of the land has been fenced off and reduced to a muddy mess. This is contrary to the planning conditions which state that the land should be restored as wildlfower meadow, woodland and hedges. 

Our countryside is losing more and more of its wildlife - between 70 and 80% of our wild birds ave already disappeared. Areas like Laneside Quarry arer vital for nature.

We demand that Kirklees Council enforces planning conditions and Laneside Quarry is restored to its former beauty with wildflower grassland, woodland, streams and hedges. Managed so nature can flourish and for locals and future generations to enjoy.