These Case Study pages showcase examples of good practice in minerals restoration which is benefiting the natural environment and people.
- All
- Agriculture
- Coastal
- Enhancement of non-operational land
- Grassland
- Heathland
- Natural regeneration
- Reedbed
- Upland
- Wetland
- Woodland
Cliffe Pools
Cliffe Pools are located on the southern shore of the Thames Estuary, 6 km east of Gravesend and 8 km north of Rochester. The area is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), Special Protection Area (SPA), Ramsar site and Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA) and forms part of the wider North Kent Marshes SPA. The site was acquired as a reserve by the RSPB in October 2001.
Cassington Quarry
Cassington lies adjacent to the A40 in the Thames Valley approximately 4km north-west of Oxford city centre. The site is an extension to 70 hectares of existing traditional open water restorations that are used for fishing but with no general public access. The site lies within 500 metres of two wet meadow SSSI’s (Cassington Meadows and Pixey & Yarnton Meads).
Laleham Farm
Laleham Farm is a 45 hectare former sand and gravel extraction on the urban fringe near Staines in Surrey.
Cam Quarry
Cam Quarry is a hard rock quarry situated within the Binevenagh AONB near the town of Macosquin. RESTORE worked with Whitemountain Quarries on restoring areas to wetland habitats, tying in with the surrounding natural landscape.
Bryants Lane Quarry
Lowland heathland is a priority habitat for biodiversity in Europe. Working with the RSPB, Nature After Minerals encouraged the operator at Bryants Lane quarry to explore opportunities for heathland creation through the planning application process.
Brackagh Quarry
Brackagh Quarry is a large sand and gravel pit near the town of Draperstown, north of Cookstown. RESTORE worked with Creagh Concrete throughout the project, advising on the creation of priority wetland habitats. The operator also used the site to showcase the potential of best practice restoration to the wider industry and key decision-makers.
Belcoo Quarry
Belcoo Quarry is a 40ha site situated 2km from the town of Belcoo. The site does not currently have a restoration plan for the final end-use. RESTORE provided advice to the operator on key habitats and biodiversity-focussed features which should be targeted with the proposed restoration plan.
Bayston Hill Quarry
Located on the geographical feature ‘Sharpstone Ridge’, Bayston Hill quarry is situated on the southern outskirts of Shrewsbury. The site produces approximately 800,000 tonnes of a high specification aggregate each year, which is predominately used in road construction – including for Abu Dhabi’s new Formula 1 track. The quarry provides the largest reserve of gritstone in England.
Block Fen
The proposed restoration of three quarries in Cambridgeshire is potentially a very interesting (and unusual) case where mineral extraction followed by restoration using inert waste should enable wet grassland to be created, safeguarding the long-term potential of the “best and most versatile” (BMV) agricultural soils present.
