Environmental firm SLR Consulting has helped secure planning permission for the quarrying of a further six million tonnes of sand at Sevenoaks Quarry in Kent.

SLR’s planning and EIA team, consisting of planners, landscape, transport, noise and air quality experts worked with Tarmac’s in-house experts over a six year period preparing a planning application and Environmental Statement that was followed by two supplementary submissions, two public exhibitions and two council site visits.

Permission was granted by Kent County Council subject to contributions to highway improvements and air quality monitoring.

The consent secures the future for a variety of businesses based at the quarry including sand extraction and processing, bagging plant operations, mortar production, top dressings and specialist soil production.

The restoration of the existing site, which will start in the early years of the extended operation, will make a major contribution to local biodiversity objectives and improve public access to the countryside.

SLR Project Manager, Ian Lofthouse said: “Clay and sand has been extracted from Sevenoaks Quarry for over 80 years.

“The sand has been used for high profile projects including The Gherkin, Chelsea FC and Arsenal FC stadiums, Wimbledon Centre Court and Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre.

“In granting consent the planning committee recognised the quality of the material and the importance of the business to the area.”

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