Mountsorrel Quarry extension plan approved

Permission for 20-acre extension secures production and jobs at Leicestershire site until 2038

LEICESTERSHIRE County Council has granted permission for a 20-acre extension to Lafarge Tarmac’s flagship Mountsorrel Quarry.

The decision will allow the company to release additional granite reserves at the site which, together with relocation of the primary crusher and primary surge pile to a lower level within the quarry, will secure continued production at Mountsorrel until around 2038.

Had permission not been granted, Lafarge Tarmac say workable existing permitted economic reserves would have been exhausted by 2019. With the new permission the company estimates that a further 19 years of reserves remain if extraction continues at current rates.

Despite concerns from local residents and environmental groups about possible impacts on wildlife in nearby Buddon Wood and around Swithland Reservoir, Leicestershire County Council approved the scheme last week on the condition that no ancient woodland is affected.

Lafarge Tarmac said they were extremely pleased with the decision, which would help safeguard 149 jobs at the site.

Stuart Wykes, director of land and natural resources with the company, commented: ‘The approval for the extension proposals is good news for the local economy, preserving jobs, securing the supply of vital materials and building on a long-standing relationship between the site and the community.’