Protection for UK pavements has led to a large increase in the amount of pavement stone being removed in Ireland.

Recent research into the trade in water-worn limestone has highlighted the fact that increased protection in England has put Irish pavements under greater pressure.  The amount of stone being removed in the UK is falling and, as a result, increasing amounts of pavement stone are being removed in the Irish Republic.  View the results of this report.

The most important pavements in Britain and Ireland have been designated as Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) under the EC Habitats Directive.  The British and Irish Governments are required to protect and restore pavement within these SACs. 

In England, all areas of limestone pavement are protected by Limestone Pavement Orders. These orders make it illegal to remove stone or damage pavement.  In the rest of Britain and Ireland many pavements receive no legal protection.

Approximately 40,000 hectares of the Burren have been designated as SAC.  This area includes limestone pavement, orchid rich grassland and turloughs.  Although regulations have been drawn up to control damaging developments or inappropriate changes of land use, the commercial potential of limestone continues to be exploited at the expense of natural habitats.

A survey of all pavement in England and Wales revealed that only 3% of sites remain undamaged. The continuing pattern of damage has showed that legislative protection for limestone pavement is inadequate, on its own, to ensure long-term protection. Voluntary sector organisations responded to this concern by establishing the Limestone Pavement Action Group in 1994.

Its remit is to campaign for the long-term protection of limestone pavement and to increase public awareness of its significance and the need for its preservation. In 1995 the campaign was officially launched by the late Geoff Hamilton, presenter of BBC's Gardeners World programme.

The campaign has had considerable success, including the revocation of the last two planning permissions to extract limestone pavement in England, the support of many gardening, horticultural and landscaping associations, and the backing of prominent figures in the political world.