Environmental Assessments
Park Quarry
We have worked with a team of specialists to carry out detailed environmental assessments on the proposed expansion at Park Quarry. This helps us to ensure that our design considers and mitigates any potential impacts on our neighbours, the community, and the wider local environment. It also helps us to establish a benchmark for future monitoring and compliance at the site.
To date, this work has included monitoring existing operations for noise and vibration, as well as calculating future levels in order to help best design the proposed quarry expansion and ensure that they remain acceptable. We have also carried out extensive ecological studies to monitor habitats and species, and have used visual modelling to assess potential views of the new area.
We expect to complete our final Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) and submit a planning application to The Highland Council by the end of 2021.
Minimising impacts
Visual Impacts
Residents and neighbours would see very little difference to the view of the site as a result of the potential new extension. As part of our full Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment, we used 3D modelling to examine all possible views of the quarry from nearby properties and key viewpoints to understand how best to plan the proposed expansion in a way that minimises impacts. The area’s existing topography, forests and landcover screen the proposed operations to a large extent and, from most locations, visual impacts will be slight to moderate during operations, and negligible following restoration.
Vehicles entering and leaving the quarry will continue to use the existing access on to the A939, and movements will remain broadly the same. Throughout the phased development of the proposed extension, we would ensure that the mounds and bunds of overlay material helped to minimise views into the site as much as possible.
This aerial fly-through video which shows how the quarry development would unfold.
Dust/air quality
The existing quarry at Park operates without any significant impact in relation to dust or air quality. Because the same levels of production and extraction methods will apply to the proposed extension area as in the current extraction area, and there would be no intensification of operations, we do not anticipate an increase in dust.
However, a detailed Dust Management Plan (DMP) will be produced that encompasses the extension, and will be submitted as part of the planning application.
Any dust from the site arises largely from the blasting, crushing/processing plant, and internal haul roads, and we have already adopted various measures to suppress dust in these areas. The processing plant remains in the bottom of the quarry where dust can be controlled at close distance, minimising the amount of dust emitted outside of the site. The quarry access roads are also dampened to minimise dust.
In summary, the proposed DMP that would be produced for the new extension would mean that the site remains unlikely to create impacts with respect to dust nuisance, health or ecology.
Noise
The noise levels created in the proposed extension area would be the same as the existing quarry operations as production levels will be the same, using the same methods of extraction and processing equipment. The independent noise impact assessment looked at potential impacts from soil stripping, mound formation, drilling, excavation, traffic/haulage and processing works. It concluded that noise levels in the proposed extension would continue to meet the noise limits set for the existing quarry operations.
Blast vibration
Blasting would continue to be carried out in the same way as at present. Every blast is monitored, for vibration, and a special exercise was carried out in order to predict levels from the new areas and inform its design. This included residential properties, the nearby Council depot, and the telecommunication masts located to the north-east of the proposed development. It has been demonstrated that, with mitigation, impacts from blast vibration will be well within accepted limits.
Vehicles
Production levels will remain broadly the same as the existing operation at Park, so there will be no increase in traffic levels and vehicle movements. Vehicles entering and leaving the quarry will continue to use the existing access on to the A939, which is located on the western boundary of the quarry immediately to the north-west of the weighbridge and office. The access was constructed to the satisfaction of the Highland Council, and the access route, visibility splays and drains will be maintained throughout the duration of operations.
Hydrology and Hydrogeology
The existing quarry currently operates with a base level of 25m Above Ordnance Datum (AOD), which is above the water table. It has a simple site water management plan. The proposed extension to the excavation area will operate at the same level and won’t affect the water table, groundwater, or increase flood risk at the site or elsewhere. The water management scheme will continue to focus on surface water run-off and groundwater from within the hard rock strata.
Light
With proposed working of 6.00am – 7.00pm Monday to Friday, and 6.00am – 1.00pm on Saturdays, the requirement for on-site lighting at Park is minimal and will be restricted to morning and early evening periods during the autumn/winter. No lighting is left on overnight. Other than the lighting on mobile plant, there will be no artificial lighting on the upper quarry benches, so there will be very little impact from light pollution for the surrounding area.
Ecology and biodiversity
Ecologists have carried out a thorough Ecological Impact Assessment (EIA) to assess any potential impacts on flora and fauna. The report concludes that with ongoing mitigation measures and biodiversity enhancements, there will be no significant impacts to local habitats, flora and fauna.
The assessment found that there are no statutory or non-statutory designated sites, such as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), Special Area of Conservation (SAC) or Special Protection Areas (SPA) within the site. Any nearby sites designated as such have no direct connectivity to the Park Quarry development site and are not expected to be impacted by the proposed works.
The proposed extension area is predominantly arable land, with a smaller area of semi-improved grassland, with little ecological value. The surrounding landscape is predominantly farmland associated with Park Farm to the north and west, as well as large areas of coniferous plantation woodland to the south and east which would be unaffected by the development. Similarly, although the extension application area includes a copse of mature broadleaved trees to the north-west, it will be retained and won’t be impacted by the development. There are no areas of ancient woodland within the site boundary.
No notable native plant species were recorded, and although the expansion would result in some loss of scrub and native species, this habitat is common in the wider landscape, so no significant impacts are expected.
The EIA included a protected species survey looking for bat roost potential, badger, birds and any other signs of notable or Local Biodiversity Action Plan (LBAP) priority species. It found:
- Widespread signs of the presence of badgers within and surrounding the site.
- Suitable habitat for pine marten and red squirrel – however, there was no evidence of these species currently using the site recorded during the surveys.
- Several trees with bat roost potential within the site, such as rot holes, crevices and delaminated bark.
- Nesting birds were noted on site and the whole site has good breeding bird habitat for a wide range of bird species.
The ecological report recommends mitigation measures and biodiversity enhancements, and these will form part of the proposals within the planning application. Assuming successful implementation of the proposed mitigation measures, no significant impacts are anticipated with respect to local habitats, flora and fauna.