Councillors reacted with dismay and anger when they were shown pictures of Wicklesham’s ponds- which are protected Priority Habitats - in 2013, compared to they look like today following Grundon's 'restoration'. It was clear that they have been deliberately filled in, and the trees and vegetation which form part of the habitat cut down to ground level. Some gasped as they saw the dry patch of grass where there was previously a one metre deep pond, fed by the water table. Pond 1, which had trees growing in and around the water in May 2016, is now a dry patch of scrub. In the discussion that followed, one County Councillor asked "What have our officers been doing? Why hasn't Grundon been prosecuted?" Another said "This landowner obviously cannot be trusted." An ecologist from Enzygo admitted that the landowner was responsible for "trimming" the trees. He also stated that "Grundon" had not filled in the ponds- leaving the Committee to draw its own conclusions. The destruction would not have been exposed without our presentation. Thanks to everyone who objected to Grundon's application to leave a soil bund in situ- your objections gave us the chance to address the Planning and Regulation Committee directly, and to present evidence they would not otherwise have seen. Since then, supporters who saw the presentation have written to Oxfordshire County Council Leader, Ian Hudspeth, asking what the Council is going to do about the destruction and requesting further information including Officers' reports. Mr Hudspeth sat on the Planning and Regulation Committee on 2 July, even though he is not a member. Wicklesham Quarry was the only application heard. His presence suggests that he is listening to the concerns repeatedly raised by local people in recent years, and wanted to see the evidence for himself. In response to letters and emails written by local people since the Committee, Mr Hudspeth states that Grundon has been given yet another deadline- the 3rd to date- to complete the Restoration Scheme according to the existing permission (MW.0084/17). This includes the original requirement to preserve the ponds and the approved design. The new deadline is 30th September 2018, and if Grundon fails to restore the ponds we should expect legal consequences. How many '2nd' chances can reasonably be given? The original deadline was almost two years ago, and since then enforcement action has been taken which Grundon has also failed to respect! In an email to a local supporter Mr Hudspeth states: "Should the site not be restored as required by that planning permission, the council will consider whether it is then expedient to take any enforcement action that may be required to secure the quarry’s restoration." Local people who live with the destruction of valued landscape and biodiversity over many years throughout the working life of a quarry are entitled to see the landscape restored in ways that minimise the damage to the environment and reflect the surroundings. We expect Oxfordshire County Council to uphold the planning conditions to which the landowners agreed, and to take whatever steps are necessary to ensure Wicklesham Quarry SSSI is protected, and that its unique natural resources remain for future generations. If the landowner refuses to return the land to the use agreed, the option of taking it into County Council ownership remains on the table. This must now be a very real possibility. The High Court made it abundantly clear that * Wicklesham Quarry SSSI is NOT a brownfield site. * Faringdon Neighbourhood Plan's policy is in conflict with the Local Plan. * The Planning Conditions take precedence: Wicklesham Quarry SSSI MUST be restored and returned to agricultural use.