Constructing a quarry can involve a lot of demolition work, but developers are keen to make protecting wildlife a priority these days.
What does quarrying involve?
When creating a quarry, a huge amount of rock, gravel, sand and minerals are removed from the ground so that the materials can be used for other purposes.
For instance, limestone quarries are dug to release the mineral, so it can be used for a number of different products, including cement, plaster, toothpaste, paint, medicine and even make-up.
How does it affect the environment?
Quarrying can have an impact on the environment due to digging away at the natural landscape, which displaces the local wildlife and upsets the area’s biodiversity.
Consequently, applications for new quarries are often met with objections from those who live nearby, as they do not want the demolition to have a negative effect on the natural environment.
A proposal to build a quarry in Hertfordshire has faced criticism partly because of this. Plans to remove eight million tonnes of material from the site of the old Hatfield Aerodrome site over a period of 32 years were rejected by Hertfordshire County Council for reasons including the impact on Green Belt land.
BBC News reported that the potential effect on the local biodiversity, public access, the highway, groundwater, heritage and residential amenity were the other factors that played a part in rejecting the proposal.
However, developers Brett Aggregates is appealing the decision for work to begin on the site between Ellenbrook and Smallford, with a hearing scheduled to take place in November, lasting approximately ten days.
How quarries can boost biodiversity
Due to the growing awareness of climate change, protecting natural landscapes has become increasingly important.
They can do this in several ways, including creating new wildlife habitats. This is what will happen at Westdown Quarry in Somerset, after the council approved recommencing of extraction at the site.
Initially, residents criticised the proposals, saying it would have a negative impact on wildlife, the water quality, and the ancient Asham Woods, which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and Special Area of Conservation (SAC). Although the quarry is existing, it has not been used since the 1980s.
However, the quarry company has promised to create a 18-hectare area to encourage wildlife, flora and fauna there.
A spokesperson from the company told Bird Guides it intends to “protect neighbouring woodlands and restore nature around the site”.
Its land, planning and development manager confirmed activity will be limited to the existing boundary of Westdown Quarry, between Frome and Shepton Mallet, and mitigation measures will be taken to keep impact on the environment to a minimum.
They plan to restore the quarry benches, enhance hedgerows and woodlands, and a combination of calcareous grassland, trees and shrubs will be planted. New habitats will also be developed, which will help create a more diverse environment in the area.
These will help to offset the impact of extracting limestone from the quarry, so that the mineral can still be removed without upsetting the natural habitats too much.
