Shropshire aggregate quarry plans extension

Plans to extend a sand and gravel quarry could extend its working life by up to five years – alongside 12 and a half years of site restoration works.

Site operators NRS have requested formal pre-application advice from Shropshire Council and Telford & Wrekin Council for an extention of the Woodcote Wood Quarry, which straddles the border between the two authorities at Weston Heath, between Newport and Tong.

The proposal could see an extension of the site’s northern boundary, which lies in Telford & Wrekin, and a deepening of the quarry to allow the further extraction of 1.8 million tonnes of materials, including “sought after” fine mortal sands.

If approved, the plans would see heavy goods vehicles importing materials onto the site for 12.5 years as part of additional restoration works, which would see the site backfilled and planted with permanent woodland.

Planning permission for the quarry was agreed by Shropshire Council in 2006, but it took until 2018 for a decision to be formally issued due to a delay in signing a Section 106 agreement.

The site was granted planning permissions for extraction of 2.55 million tonnes of sand and gravel at a rate of approximately 200,000 tonnes per annum, giving an operational life of some 13 years. NRS successfully applied to vary their maximum output to 400,000 tonnes per annum in November 2023.

The planned expansion would see the side expanded by 5.6 hectares to the north.

“The proposed extension area adjoins the current quarry void, located immediately north of the current extraction area. The extension area consists of commercially managed woodland. The woodland is due to be felled in May 2023,” said planning agents Heatons in the scoping request document.

“The thickness beneath the site ranges from c.3m in the west to 24m in the east of the site. The proposed deepening of extraction within the permitted site would enable greater access to the gravel-rich reserves within the east of the site.

“The proposed deepening and extension to the quarry would result in an increase in the operational life of mineral extraction at the quarry by approximately 5 years, incorporating the proposed deepening of the existing quarry (c. 3.5 years) and extraction of proposed mineral reserves in the extension area (c. 1.5 years)”

As part of its submission, NRS said it will engage with the local community prior to the submission of a planning application.