In 1965, Straitgate Farm near Ottery St Mary in Devon was bought by ECC Quarries in the hope it would yield 20 million tonnes of sand & gravel. In 2001, Straitgate Action Group was formed to oppose the development and its potential harm to water supplies, ancient wetland habitats, protected species and much more. In 2023, Aggregate Industries – owned by Swiss giant Holcim – was finally granted permission to quarry just 1 million tonnes following a public inquiry. This blog records the story.
UK sand and gravel sales still at recession levels
Ten years on from the financial turmoil of 2008 and the start of the ensuing recession, and despite house-building swallowing irreplaceable amounts of farmland, sales of sand and gravel have still not recovered – according to the MPA.
