Modification orders were served on Aggregate Industries to restrict quarrying at Blackhill Quarry in 1999, following the introduction of SPA and SAC European nature conservation designations on Woodbury Common. AI was compensated by Defra for the loss of future quarrying. We have referred to this compensation in the past, and a recent FOI request by another party has confirmed the exact details. The final compensation figure reflected the fact that in 2002 AI was granted permission to quarry Thorn Tree Plantation, adjacent to the SPA and SAC.
People will surely want to know why, having received £6 million more than 10 years ago, AI continues to operate on Woodbury Common, and why AI continues to think it can use the site to process any material it should win at Straitgate beyond 2016, when Blackhill’s permission finally expires.
