Please help me to request a new survey of the Quarry's ponds, as explained below. Exactly a year ago I sent you an update detailing Grundon's failure to carry out the Quarry's restoration. Buildings that should have been removed were still standing. Soil bunds remained in place round the top, thick with trees. Almost two thousand loads of topsoil still had to be brought in to prepare the base for seeding, and none of the tree planting had been carried out. Most seriously, the ponds - which are breeding habitats of Great Crested Newts - had been damaged. Trees and vegetation had been comprehensively stripped. Some local people even questioned whether the photographs published here, taken a few months apart by the Monitoring Officer, were the same ponds! In July 2016, Wicklesham's land agent (& Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group member) had asked Council Officers to reverse or overlook the Planning Committee’s order to restore the quarry. Such was the confidence of those involved in the Neighbourhood Plan that they would soon secure planning permission on behalf of the owners. A year later and things now look very different, thanks to you. Most of the Restoration Scheme has been carried out and next spring the quarry will finally be seeded for grasses and further tree planting will be carried out. There is no prospect of any application to concrete over Wicklesham Quarry for warehouses following the High Court verdict. The judgement spelled out: Wicklesham’s Restoration and Aftercare Schemes must be carried out, returning it to agriculture. HERE'S WHERE YOU CAN HELP. Please comment on a new planning application before 2nd November. Grundon Ltd has applied to leave one area of soil bund in place, very close to pond 2. The proposed alteration is "to avoid disturbance and potential damage to the habitats of protected species" - an aim we wholeheartedly commend. It is above a nesting site of sand martins, contains a "large mammal hole", and moving it would likely cause damage to the pond. HOWEVER, we believe that no changes to the planning conditions should be made- until a further survey of the ponds is carried out by Enzygo Ltd, to assess the damage and recommend remediation. You can find the new application at: http://myeplanning.oxfordshire.gov.uk/swiftlg/apas/run/WPHAPPDETAIL.DisplayUrl?theApnID=MW.0084/17&theTabNo=3&backURL=%3Ca Local supporters will ask to address the Planning Committee to raise our concerns about what has already happened to the ponds under the existing planning conditions, and to request a further survey. This is justified by the fact that a County Council Monitoring Officer has photographed and described the "damage" already caused to the ponds. Please endorse this request by leaving your comments through the online consultation website before 2nd November. NO CHANGES TO PLANNING CONDITIONS WITHOUT A FURTHER SURVEY OF WICKLESHAM QUARRY'S PRIORITY HABITATS BY ENZYGO LTD. A year ago we urged the County Council in the strongest terms not to allow Grundon Ltd to return to Wicklesham Quarry, but to appoint a skilled contractor to carry out the restoration under close, expert supervision. They ignored these concerns, and we have seen the results. PLEASE LET OXFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL KNOW THAT WICKLESHAM'S SUPPORTERS ARE WATCHING - MAKE YOUR VIEWS KNOWN TO THE PLANNING CONSULTATION BEFORE 2ND NOVEMBER. Thank you once again for your tremendous support in helping to protect this important site! You can contact the Campaign to Protect Wicklesham Quarry from Development at protectwicklesham@gmail.com.