MOUNTSORREL
QUARRY
PUBLIC INFORMATION EVENTS
MAY 2014
We would like to invite you to a public information
event on our planning application to extend
Mountsorrel Quarry.
Mountsorrel Quarry
TWO SESSIONS WILL BE
HELD AT THE FOLLOWING
TIMES AND VENUES:
SESSION 0NE:
FRIDAY 30 MAY 2014
2PM TO 8PM
Mountsorrel Parish Rooms
Leicester Road
Mountsorrel
Loughborough
LE12 7BH
SESSION TWO:
SATURDAY 31 MAY 2014
10AM TO 4PM
Rawlins Community College
Loughborough Road
Quorn
Leicestershire
LE12 8DY
If you are unable to attend these
events, you can view our plans on
our website:
www.lafargetarmac.com/
mountsorrel
which will go live on 30 May,
or email our team on:
mountsorrelquarryfeedback@
lafargetarmac.com
ABOUT MOUNTSORREL QUARRY
Mountsorrel Quarry currently employs
more than 140 people, 90 per cent of
whom live within a ten mile radius of the
quarry. It also provides an important
contribution to the regional economy.
The quarry provides a nationally
important source of granite – essential
for the UK’s construction industry – and
supplies materials across the East
Midlands, as well as London and the
east/south east of England. Mountsorrel
has its own railhead at Barrow upon Soar
and transports around 70 per cent of its
material by rail, rather than road.
MEETING DEMAND,
SECURING JOBS
The start of 2014 has been a very busy
period for the quarry, and demand for
its materials is increasing for a number
of construction projects, including the
resurfacing of the A46, the widening of
the A453 and the extension of the
Nottingham tramway.
In March alone, we quarried 500,000
tonnes of granite, with production for
2014 forecast to be over 5 million
tonnes – a 20 per cent increase on last
year. We also hired an additional nine
employees, with future plans in place
for taking on a number of apprentices.
To continue to meet national and local
demands over the next two decades,
we need to relocate the main processing
equipment in order to access existing
and additional permitted reserves, as
only around four years’ worth of stone
is readily available at present.
PROPOSALS FOR SITE
EXTENSION, PLANT RELOCATION
AND RESTORATION
We have successfully operated at
Mountsorrel Quarry for over 100 years.
The quarry supports 140 local jobs and
is a nationally important source of
high-quality construction materials for
projects across the UK.
In January 2014, we submitted a planning
application to expand Mountsorrel
Quarry and update and relocate the main
quarry equipment. The application will
allow us to access the remaining stone
reserves, safeguard local jobs and extend
the life of the quarry.
The main elements of the
application are:
•A
n 8.36 hectare (20.6 acre) extension
of the stone extraction boundary
• Relocation of the primary crusher
and stone pile to a lower level within
the quarry
• An extended operating life from
December 2033 to December 2040
• The majority of the stone extension
area (around 90%) is developed
within the footprint of the existing
quarry development area.
LISTENING TO YOUR VIEWS
Over the many years that we have operated at Mountsorrel,
we have always endeavored to build relationships with our
neighbours and wider local communities, and listen
to peoples’ feedback.
Back in 2012, before we prepared and submitted this planning
application, we held a number of public events to get your
input and explain our plans. This included six open days in
April/May 2012 which were attended by over 5,000 people.
These events were followed by four exhibition days at
Mountsorrel and Quorn in July 2013 ahead of the planning
application being submitted.
Based on recent feedback from some local residents, we
understand that people would welcome an additional opportunity
to learn more about specific aspects of our proposals.
We have listened to your feedback, and have set up these
two additional information days for people to re-visit
information about the application and meet with the
site team to ask any questions.
OUR PROPOSALS
THE PLANS – DETAILS AND BENEFITS
We propose to expand Mountsorrel Quarry to the north,
with a 8.36 hectare (20.6 acre) extension to the extraction area.
The proposals would extend the life of the site by 25 years.
Although there are around 85 million tonnes of permitted granite
reserves at the quarry, only about 22 million tonnes (around four
years’ worth) are readily available. This means we need to seek
planning permission for the next phase to continue operations
over the next two decades.
The proposal involves moving the primary crusher and stone pile
from their current elevated position on the quarry rim, to below
the lip of the quarry. We will replace the old equipment (which
was built in the early 1970s) with new, modern versions that are
quieter and better designed. A significant additional benefit is
that the new crusher and stone pile will be enclosed, and the new
linking conveyor belt will be covered. This, combined with
relocating the equipment, will significantly reduce noise and dust
levels. In addition, dumper trucks will no longer need to use the
roadways around the quarry rim.
The new equipment will also be less visible for the majority of
residents, reducing visual impact for homes close to the site.
Our plans also include moving the quarry offices, workshops,
lorry and car park.
Covered conveyor
RESTORATION
TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT
Our proposals include an updated restoration scheme for the
existing quarry. The quarry has been identified as a potential
future storage facility for public water supply. The perimeter
landscape areas will be tree planted and will have a network of
public access routes through them.
Our proposals will result in a reduction in traffic in Quorn along
Leicester Road and Wood Lane, as the relocation of the quarry
offices, stores and workshops will enable the vast majority of site
traffic currently using the Wood Lane entrance, to enter and exit
along Granite Way.
BUDDON WOOD
The application includes an extension of the operational area
into Buddon Wood Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). The
scheme has been designed very carefully and compared against
areas of the SSSI which are within the existing permission area
and are now being proposed to be left undisturbed to ensure
there is no net reduction in the area of Buddon Wood SSSI.
We have carried out detailed surveys and consulted with Natural
England, the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust and officers
from Leicestershire County Council on our plans.
MONITORING
Part of Mountsorrel Quarry that has already undergone restoration
OPERATING HOURS
The working hours for the quarry will remain at 6am to 10pm
Monday to Saturday, although not all of those hours are used on
a regular basis. Blasting will continue to occur once a day during
the week at 12:30pm. The new primary crusher and stone pile will
not fully operate while the existing equipment is still producing
material, so both will not be in full operation at the same time.
We already have rigorous monitoring procedures to record and
manage noise, blasting and dust levels from the quarry. We will
continue to apply the same robust approach with our proposals,
and will work with Charnwood Borough Council and
Leicestershire County Council to ensure operations at the site
remain within emitted levels.
SAFETY
Working hours will be reduced where necessary to avoid
disturbance during early morning and evening periods while work
is being carried out on the quarry rim areas.
The safety and health of employees, neighbours and anyone
who has contact with our business is the number one
consideration in everything we do. We believe that no job is
worth doing if it cannot be done safely, and this applies not
only to our operations, but also our approach to road safety.
As such, hauliers receive Vulnerable Road User (VRU) training
and are expected to adhere to the highest standards of driving.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
LAFARGE TARMAC IN THE COMMUNITY
Lafarge Tarmac will prepare and submit additional information
to Leicestershire County Council in June 2014 in support of the
application. This will clarify and refine some aspects of the
submitted scheme. The Council will then carry out further
consultation and will take account of comments made through
that process.
In addition to supporting local jobs, we are proud of the work
we do to support local community projects, and hope to do so
for many more years to come.
Leicestershire County Council may be in a position to
determine the proposals later this year.
If the new scheme is approved a new planning permission will
be issued and work could begin later in 2015. It would take
around two to three years of construction work until the new
primary crusher and stone pile could become operational.
Lafarge Tarmac Trading Limited. Lafarge Tarmac Cement and Lime Limited.
‘Lafarge Tarmac’ the ‘LT logo’, ‘Tarmac’ and ‘Lafarge’ are all registered trademarks. ©2014 Lafarge Tarmac Trading Limited.
Amongst the many local groups we support, we provided funds
towards the Rothley Bowls club, Sileby Cricket club, Quorn
Petanque club and Mountsorrel and Quorn Junior Football club.
CONTACT INFORMATION
We hope you found this leaflet informative.
Further information is also available on our website:
www.lafargetarmac.com/mountsorrel or by writing to:
mountsorrelquarryfeedback@lafargetarmac.com