Sadness and Disappointment as Closure of Stewartby Brickworks is Announced (North Bedfordshire Liberal Democrats)

North Bedfordshire Liberal Democrats <bedford@bedfordlibdems.org>

Sadness and Disappointment as Closure of Stewartby Brickworks is Announced

November 30, 2007 11:45 AM

Liberal Democrat ward councillors have responded to the news that Stewartby brickworks is to close in February 2008 with sadness and disappointment

Liberal Democrat ward councillors have responded to the news that Stewartby brickworks is to close in February 2008 with sadness and disappointment.

Commenting on the news that Hanson Building Products intends to close its brickworks at Stewartby in February next year, Coun Tim Hill said:

"The loss of jobs that this closure brings is devastating news, and I am hugely disappointed that Hanson would not make the investment in clean technology needed to ensure a future for the site as a brickworks.'

"I hope that previous pledges to find alternative employment for staff are honoured. It is essential that the redevelopment of the site creates new employment opportunities for local people, and that Hanson make their new headquarters in Stewartby a national centre for their support functions, redeploying as many staff as possible there."

Coun Judith Cunningham added:

"Local residents have had to put up with a scandalous level of pollution due to Hanson's unwillingness to clean up the plant, and after its closure work to ensure the thorough decontamination of the land must be a priority.'

"It is very sad that it has come to this after such a long and proud history of brickmaking in Stewartby, and I hope that the history of the site will be preserved in some way."