Planners give Scottish rock quarries the go-ahead
THE British Aggregates Association (BAA) has welcomed the news that planning authorities are once again beginning to grant consents for greenfield hard rock quarries in central Scotland.
Recent approvals for such sites follow the 2005 Scottish Government review of consented mineral reserves, which highlighted shortfalls in certain areas of Scotland.
‘The survey highlighted shortages of consented reserves while at the same time reinforcing their strategic importance in maintaining the country’s infrastructure,’ explained BAA executive officer Richard Bird.
‘This ensured that the Scottish Government included aggregates in the National Planning Framework.’
Collier Quarrying and Recycling of Cowdenbeath have been granted planning permission for a new hard rock quarry near to the Moss Moran gas plant in Fife – the first greenfield hard rock quarry to get consent in central Scotland for more than 20 years.
This site is particularly significant as it is near to the Forth Road Bridge, one of the main routes into Edinburgh.
Another greenfield hard rock quarry has also been granted planning consent in South Lanarkshire, close to Abington on the M74 Motorway. Hodge Plant’s Abington Quarry will be within easy reach of markets in Lanarkshire and south of the city of Glasgow.
Meanwhile, nearby Loudounhill Contracts have recently received consent for a sand and gravel deposit known as Thirstone Quarry. The shortage of consented sand and gravel deposits in central Scotland was particularly highlighted in the 2005 survey.
‘These new consents are in line with the BAA’s support of the independent sector and are welcomed by the industry in Scotland,’ said Mr Bird. ‘Furthermore, it confirms a realistic approach to the production of aggregates now being taken by many Scottish local planning authorities.’
Mr Bird added that it was equally encouraging that these new operations were actually taking place during the current severe downturn in the aggregates market. ‘This makes a nice change from the usual gloomy news of cutbacks and companies sitting on landbanks, all of which have a negative affect on our rural economies,’ he said.
Recent approvals for such sites follow the 2005 Scottish Government review of consented mineral reserves, which highlighted shortfalls in certain areas of Scotland.
‘The survey highlighted shortages of consented reserves while at the same time reinforcing their strategic importance in maintaining the country’s infrastructure,’ explained BAA executive officer Richard Bird.
‘This ensured that the Scottish Government included aggregates in the National Planning Framework.’
Collier Quarrying and Recycling of Cowdenbeath have been granted planning permission for a new hard rock quarry near to the Moss Moran gas plant in Fife – the first greenfield hard rock quarry to get consent in central Scotland for more than 20 years.
This site is particularly significant as it is near to the Forth Road Bridge, one of the main routes into Edinburgh.
Another greenfield hard rock quarry has also been granted planning consent in South Lanarkshire, close to Abington on the M74 Motorway. Hodge Plant’s Abington Quarry will be within easy reach of markets in Lanarkshire and south of the city of Glasgow.
Meanwhile, nearby Loudounhill Contracts have recently received consent for a sand and gravel deposit known as Thirstone Quarry. The shortage of consented sand and gravel deposits in central Scotland was particularly highlighted in the 2005 survey.
‘These new consents are in line with the BAA’s support of the independent sector and are welcomed by the industry in Scotland,’ said Mr Bird. ‘Furthermore, it confirms a realistic approach to the production of aggregates now being taken by many Scottish local planning authorities.’
Mr Bird added that it was equally encouraging that these new operations were actually taking place during the current severe downturn in the aggregates market. ‘This makes a nice change from the usual gloomy news of cutbacks and companies sitting on landbanks, all of which have a negative affect on our rural economies,’ he said.
