Lafarge invest in Ewenny Quarry

LAFARGE Aggregates have taken over Ewenny Quarry near Bridgend, South Wales, from Minimix and launched a £1 million development programme at the site, investing in a new concrete batching plant, driving new quarry access roads, and repositioning the aggregate crushing plant.

The crushing plant has been relocated in a quarry bowl on the far side of a ridge from the village of Ewenny, allowing the plant to operate more efficiently and with a significantly reduced risk of noise and dust disturbance. Lafarge say the ridge, despite being a source of prime limestone, will be retained as a sound and vision baffle.

‘This investment represents a major commitment by Lafarge in sustainable quarrying activities in South Wales,’ said Lafarge general manager Andrew Jones. ‘It makes sound business and engineering sense to reposition the equipment and it also has a bonus as far as the local community is concerned.

‘We are committed to working alongside our neighbours and relocating the crushing plant further away in a quarry bowl with a huge rock wall between it and the nearest housing will be welcome news for the villagers. They now have both a visual and a very solid sound and dust barrier between them and the crushing machinery, and we are also going to build a bund between our concrete batching plant and the nearest houses.’