Restoration
Every Tarmac quarry in the UK has a restoration plan. We work hard to ensure that sites leave a positive long-term legacy; restoration helps us to achieve this aim by considering ecological objectives and the needs of the local community in the quarry's end use.
We are committed to restoring many of our sites to their original use. This means that the site might end up as agricultural land, or, guided by our Biodiversity Action Plans (BAPs), we might create a nature reserve or wetland habitat; in other cases, the land might be returned to the community for recreational use.
The long-term nature of the quarrying process means that many of our sites are restored progressively, with inactive parts of a site restored while quarrying operations continue. Although it can be lengthy and expensive, restoration is an essential process and we are proud of what can be achieved.
Our actions
Restoring landscapes
We take a long-term approach to restoration activities, investing significant time, planning, financial and human resources to deliver a lasting legacy.
From 2000 to 2011, we have restored 3,443 hectares of land in the UK. At the end of 2011, 1,971 hectares of this remained within company ownership in the UK, including 333 hectares for agriculture, 474 hectares for conservation or amenities, and 35 hectares as woodland.
Partnerships
In 2011, Tarmac signed an agreement with the Northumberland Wildlife Trust for a 53-acre restored area of its Broadoak quarry to become part of a nearby nature reserve, co-managed by the two parties. Tarmac continues to work the rest of the 75-acre quarrying site, which in turn is expected to be fully restored by 2025.
Read more on our handover of Broadoak quarry
