Tubney Wood Quarry

This morning I visited the Tubney Wood Quarry at Appleton to see the recycling and restoration work, which is taking place.  This site is now nearly completed and a new site is being worked on the other side of the A338.  The quarry has produced high quality mortar sand and various grades of crushed rock.  It is also a source of secondary aggregates which is produced through recycling and recovery and it was interesting to watch this process taking place (see photo above).

Walking above the site we were then shown the restoration which has been completed as the site will be eventually planted with broadleaf woodland (photo above).  The land is owned by Magdalen College and is leased to The Hills Group Ltd. who have been working the site for a number of years.

The County Council is responsible for the planning of minerals and waste sites in Oxfordshire, so it was a useful lesson to hear about the work which goes on and equally what happens to the sites once the quarrying is complete.   There will always be a demand for our raw materials and as a county we have an obligation to produce a set amount every year.   The latest Minerals & Waste Plan was agreed at the County Council meeting in April 2012 for submission to the Secretary of State.

Proposals for minerals extraction are usually accompanied by objections from local residents who are concerned about the impact on their locaL area, but I have to say that I was reassured to see what is taking place just down the A338 where it connects with the A420.  It is a journey I do many times a week as I travel to County Hall, so now I know what is going on in the woods nearby!