RESIDENTS AGAINST GRAVEL EXTRACTION IN THE PIDDLE
To contact us email us at Rage or telephone 07010 700 427
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RESIDENTS AGAINST GRAVEL EXTRACTION IN THE PIDDLE To contact us email us at Rage or telephone 07010 700 427
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How much Sand and Gravel is there? When the site was originally surveyed in 1993, it consisted of Phillios Farm, some land owned by Mr Stephen Bradford plus Hyde Farm. At the time of the first draft Minerals Plan in 1994, the site was estimated to have 1.52 million tons of gravel. Subsequently this estimate was reduced, presumably on the basis of further geological survey work, to 0.69 million tons. This made it the smallest of the 10 sites originally selected in 1994. The new owner of Hyde Farm is unwilling to have the environment ruined by gravel extraction despite the large sums on offer by the gravel company. The current site being proposed by Aggregate Industries will therefor be smaller than the original site by approximately 25%, which would mean only 0.50 million tons. However Aggregate Industries are till saying there is 1.5 million tons of gravel on the site. We have asked them to provide details of their estimates (see letter from Richard Smith of Rage); we are waiting for their reply. Transport At the time the evidence given at the Public Enquiry in 1996, it was made clear that a new road would need to be constructed running from the North West corner of the site, through Wareham Forest and joining up with the Bere Regis to Wareham Road at Cold Harbour, known as the C7. It was felt that the road through Hyde and Bere Heath would not be suitable for the transport of sand and gravel. According to evidence given by Dorset County Council to the Public Enquiry, around 60 lorry movements per day would be involved , that is 30 movements in and 30 movements out. This assumed extracting 150,000 tons per annum, and a total period of extraction of 8-9 years. This would obviously vary with Hyde Farm being excluded from the latest site proposal. |