MPA: ‘Road ahead remains uncertain and peppered with potholes’

The Mineral Products Association – the trade body representing Aggregate Industries et al. – has recorded an uptick in sales of construction materials in the final months of 2024, but notes: 

Despite these encouraging signals, the MPA data also underscores the severity of the construction slowdown over the past two years and the major challenges facing the £22 billion mineral products industry. For example, annual mortar sales fell by 15% in 2024, dropping below 2 million tonnes - some 28% lower than their 2022 peak of 2.7 million tonnes. 

Similarly, ready-mixed concrete, ubiquitous to all types of construction projects, faced a 10.8% annual decline in 2024, reaching its lowest level in over 60 years. Primary aggregates sales declined by 2.6%, with sand and gravel particularly impacted due to weak demand from the struggling ready-mixed concrete market, where it is mostly used. 

Aggregate Industries’ Straitgate update for January

Aggregate Industries has today provided the following update in relation to implementing its permission to quarry Straitgate Farm: 

I don't have anything to report at this time, but anticipate that I will be in a position to provide you with an update at the end of this month.

Previous monthly updates from the company can be found here.

AI’s Planning Manager overseeing Straitgate leaves the company

A new year – yet another in this long-running saga – and another person responsible for Aggregate Industries’ attempts to quarry Straitgate Farm has moved on to pastures new. 

Chris Herbert, Planning Manager South, has, we have been informed, left the company to pursue new opportunities. 

Over the last five years, Chris has been tasked with overseeing the company’s efforts to firstly win planning permission from Devon County Council, and then, when that failed, to appeal the refusal, and then, when permission was finally – and, to some, surprisingly – granted by the Planning Inspectorate, to implement the heavily-conditioned permission. 

It was Chris who provided us with monthly updates on the company’s progress in relation to implementing the permission. Today, Aggregate Industries said "we have no further update at this time."  

The company has until 5 January 2026 to implement its planning permission for Straitgate. 

Many personnel at Aggregate Industries have come and gone over the many years that we have been striving to save Straitgate. For instance, the company fielded three representatives at the Development Management Committee meeting in December 2021, when permission was originally refused. For whatever reasons, all three – the other two here and here – have now left the company. 

Could the last Aggregate Industries' person leaving the Straitgate project kindly turn out the lights?