Green Party campaigners have expressed shock after learning that almost all of the rock from Gallagher’s quarry is used for schemes such as road construction. They say that this is in direct contrast to narrative of a need for heritage restoration. They have reiterated their calls for the new quarry which will destroy 50ha of ancient woodland at Oaken Wood not to go ahead.
Cllr Stuart Jeffery, Green Party, “After all the talk of a need for ragstone for heritage restoration I was shocked to learn that just 1% of the rock from Hermitage Quarry is used for this and a further 1% is used for new buildings.
“It means that a jaw dropping 98% is being used as crushed aggregate for uses such as road building. It is ludicrous.”
Rachel Rodwell, Green Campaigner in Allington, “I was astounded to learn that the ancient woodland will be sacrificed almost entirely for crushed rock to build roads and the like. We are in the middle of an ecological emergency, this has to stop.”
Notes:
Figures obtained from Sean Connor of Gallagers during a site visit on 2/8/23:
• 15k tonnes per annum for new builds
• 10k tonnes per annum for heritage restoration
• 900k tonnes per annum for other uses such as crushed aggregate for roads
Plus 600k tonnes per annum recycled aggregate.