Tarmac submit plans for new quarry at Broom

TARMAC have submitted a planning application for a new quarry south of Broom in Bedfordshire. The proposed new quarry would be a direct replacement for the existing Broom Quarry, which has been operating since 1997 and is due to cease production in 2010, with restoration completed shortly afterwards.

The new quarry site would cover a total area of 175ha, with a mineral extraction area of 113ha. It is proposed that between 400,000 and 450,000 tonnes a year of sand and gravel would be extracted from the site over a 12-year period.

The scheme includes plans to conserve the wooded copses in the area, which provide a habitat for local wildlife, and also to restore the site by creating an area of wetlands, lakes and meadow, to enrich local biodiversity.