ENVIRONMENT

New Platt Wood Restoration Project

New Platt Wood silica sand quarry in Cheshire was entered for the QPA restoration awards during 2001. The site entered is known as Brookhouse Farm and was part of a larger ongoing site restoration.

The first phase was restored in the late 1980s and has itself won a restoration award. The Brookhouse Farm site was worked and restored during the summer of 1994 in partnership with the landowner, John Carter. The 5.4 hectare site has been returned mainly to agriculture with a lake occupying one corner.

The working plan involved stripping soil from half the site, which was stored in a 3 metre high mound to provide screening from the main A52 road. As the sand face was worked out across the site, the working area was progressively restored using the stored soil, together with new soil being removed in stages from the remainder of the working area. Once the area had been graded it was then sub-soiled and land drained.

A 5-year aftercare period, as stipulated by Cheshire County Council, then followed when the land was annually inspected to check the management/aftercare task on the site. During this time the land had successfully grown good quality arable crops, cereals and potatoes.

Areas of new woodland planting now merge naturally with areas of the established woodland including a range of native species. The margins of the lake, having been seeded with a special wildflower mix, now provides for fishing and acts as a stand-by irrigation reservoir.

Pictured on the right are members of WBB MINERALS staff and the contracting company, Wardle Plant, receiving the award from George Alagiah, BBC Television News Presenter.

The Chairman of the Judges commented:

“The site has been landscaped into the surrounding countryside, anyone driving past on the adjoining road would never know that it had been disturbed. I have no hesitation in recommending an award.

“The site at Allostock, Cheshire provides a good example of what can be achieved when mineral companies and planning departments co-operate. Although not large, the 5.4 hectare site has been restored to a small lake, the majority being to agriculture. The five-year aftercare period has resulted in an area greatly improved for agriculture and re-graded so well with the surrounding countryside.”