The Independent Examiner's report on Faringdon Neighbourhood Plan- and the fate of Wicklesham Quarry -are due to be published on 1st August. Last Monday, the Chairman of Faringdon Council told the Examiner: "The main point of the Neighbourhood Plan is to provide employment land." This is consistent with Faringdon Council's support for the owners of the Quarry over the past eight years- long before the Neighbourhood Plan was under discussion. In our view, the policy to turn Wicklesham Quarry into an industrial warehousing site was predetermined, raising concerns about Councillors' probity in public office. As the Examiner failed to respond to our request for an oral hearing on Wicklesham Quarry, it is now clear that he does not intend to hold one. We have therefore written to him again to clarify one of our objections: that "county matters" are "excluded development" for Neighbourhood Plans, and Wicklesham's planning conditions for restoration are a "county matter". We cited the relevant legislation referred to in the Localism Act 2011: Schedule 1 (1) the Town and Country Planning Act 1990: - "In this Schedule “county matter” means in relation to any application, order or notice (h) the carrying out of operations in, on, over or under land or a use of land, where the land is or forms part of a site used or formerly used for the winning and working of minerals and where the operations or use would conflict with or prejudice compliance with a restoration condition or an aftercare condition." In our view the law is quite clear: Neighbourhood Plans cannot over-ride existing restoration provisions for a former mineral working. We expect a positive decision to protect Wicklesham Quarry by the Independent Examiner, but preparations are underway in case we need to challenge an adverse outcome, based on Counsel's opinion. So please watch out for future updates! Huge thanks go to all the loyal supporters of the campaign to Protect Wicklesham Quarry from Development!