There are major concerns regarding the reduction of the water table from the deep excavations adjacent to the north boundary of the Mains Plantation.
Excavations will be as deep as 20 metres in places. This is the equivalent of 6 or 7 storeys of an apartment block. This is likely to cause a dramatic reduction in water table which could cause die-back on the edge of the woodland.
A consequence of the loss of the natural woodland edge is that the 'internal' trees become exposed to severe wind damage, and wind felled trees are inevitable. The potential for the woodland edge to recede towards the south is very real, resulting eventually in a denuded and narrower tree belt, with loss of amenity and shelter for the first line of houses.
Remediation works in the existing quarry have not been carried out in accordance with the conditions of the original consent. Various statutory constraints and impositions are outstanding on the current workings, and the Council have admitted that they have not maintained a register of remediation works, nor have they monitored the workings to ensure adherence to controls.
Recently, some landscaping work has been carried out, most notably adjacent the quarry entrance near the Mains Estate roundabout. This landscaping extends up the hill to the start of the main workings. Some other re-instatement work has been carried out within the workings themselves, but this falls short of full extent required by the current planning consent.
Tarmac are keen to re-assure the public that they will now progress the re-instatement of the completed quarry workings. Nothing short of a precise programme with clear deliverables will be believable. It is essential that residents lobby the Council to ensure that cast iron, enforceable conditions are imposed on any consent granted to Tarmac
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