Having destroyed 32ha of ancient wood in 2013, new quarry plans threaten at least another 50ha.
A staggering 50 hectares of irreplaceable ancient woodland could be in danger if Kent County Council allows Hermitage Quarry expansion plans to go ahead. If approved, the loss could even surpass ancient woodland losses from the Lower Thames Crossing and HS2 schemes combined.
The Woodland Trust gathered over 25 000 objection to plans to expand Gallagher’s Hermitage Quarry at Oaken Wood in Barming
Decimating a wood and its wildlife already on the brink
Oaken Wood is an irreplaceable ecosystem home to protected species including dormice, reptiles and bats.
The proposal doesn’t specify how much woodland it would impact, but our analysis suggests over 50 hectares are under serious threat. Even more would be exposed to long-term damage. The total area is equivalent to over 70 football pitches.
The wood has already suffered significant damage after a quarry extension in 2013 took away a vast 32 hectares of precious habitat. Now that wildlife could be pushed into an even smaller space.
Quick fact ~ Oaken Wood is a Plantation on Ancient Woodland Site (PAWS). These are ancient woods that have been felled and replanted, often with non-native trees. They’re still hugely important, with historical and ecological features that are vital links to the original ancient wood.
Pitting built heritage against natural heritage
Supporters of the quarry may say that the expansion is necessary to meet demand for Kentish ragstone which is used to restore old buildings. But the protection of our natural world for wildlife, climate and people is equally, if not more, important.
They may also argue that they’re compensating for the loss by translocating ancient woodland soil. But there’s little evidence this works, and it will never make up for the devastation of 50+ hectares of irreplaceable habitat.
Kent County Council proposes to allow Hermitage Quarry to expand by 96 hectares, to allow Gallagher to extract a further 20 million tonnes of ragstone.
Officers said there is an expected shortfall of 17.4 million tonnes in the provision of hard rock extraction over the plan period up to 2039.
KCC had previously carried out a “call for sites” inviting landowners across the county to put forward suitable plots for ragstone extraction, but only one came foward – Gallagher’s. The company proposed an extension to the south and west of its existing quarry.
It says the extension would ensure the future of 190 jobs at the quarry and points out that ragstone is an essential material for the repair of many heritage buildings.
Gallagher says the extension to the quarry could supply ragstone at a rate of around 900,000 tonnes a year.
At the end of its life, the quarry would be restored to its original levels with inert materials and be returned to mixed native woodland and meadow.
Cllr Tony Harwood (Lib Dem) said: “I campaigned alongside many local people to ensure that the National Planning Policy Framework contained effective protection for ancient woodland and other irreplaceable habitats. “Little did I know that the first big test of this policy would be in Maidstone.
“The scale of ancient woodland destruction proposed is immense and if allowed would be the largest area of ancient woodland lost in the British Isles for many decades.
“The promoters of the quarry extension are making much of the fact that most of the wood was replanted with sweet chestnut to produce poles for the hop industry in the 18th and 19th centuries.
“That said, many native trees and shrubs still flourish across Oaken Wood, including pedunculate and sessile oak, hornbeam, hazel, silver birch, common hawthorn, dogwood, rowan, dog rose and holly.
“However, an ancient woodland is the sum of its parts and it is the undisturbed soils and their biome that contain the real wonder of ancient woodland.
“Significantly, it is probably the presence of the broadleaved and deciduous sweet chestnut, that has protected the wood to date by giving it a commercial value that has prevented it from being cleared and ploughed-up for agriculture.
“The presence of sweet chestnut has also contributed towards the remarkable biodiversity of the wood, historically, the best site in Kent for breeding nightjars.
“This is because active rotational coppice management has meant that all important structural diversity has been maintained over the centuries.
“A further key concern is the impact on Net Zero objectives should 50 hectares of ancient woodland be destroyed for a quarry extension. The quantity of carbon sequestered by the undisturbed woodland soils and within the many thousands of trees is immense”.
“Such an unprecedented loss of ancient woodland would be of national policy significance in terms of the precedent it could set and its impact upon wildlife and climate.”
Cllr Harwood called for the Secretary of State to step in to “ensure an appropriate level of national policy scrutiny and scientific oversight”.
He said: “Too much is at stake for all of us if we get this wrong.”
The quarry extension is also being opposed by the Green Party.
Campaigner Rachel Rodwell has aready collected a petition of 400 signatures against the plan which she has handed in to KCC.
She said: “There is an ecological emergency unfolding around us yet KCC and Gallagher seem to think it is quite reasonable to destroy a huge swathe of ancient woodland for profit and pretty stones for houses and aggregate for more roads.
“Ancient woodland cannot be replaced. It takes over 400 years for the soil biome to mature. It is protected as it has a level of diversity not seen in new woodland.
“With the loss of 70% of species during the past 50 years, this plan does the opposite of what the world needs. If we are to ensure a future for our children we must start planting forests, not destroying them.”
Lance Taylor, chief executive at the Gallagher Group, said: “It is important to clarify that only part of the area that has been identified at this early mineral plan review stage is designated as Plantation on Ancient Woodland Site (PAWS).
“Gallagher Aggregates has established a proven and well-respected restoration and biodiversity enhancement plan at Hermitage Quarry.
Jack Taylor, the Woodland Trust’s lead campaigner, said: “Ripping up more wooded habitat – that provides such vast benefit to climate, nature and people – is senseless.
“Combined with the scarce amount of ancient woodland remaining, it’s glaringly obvious that Oaken Wood must be spared the axe.
“We are asking people to join us in telling Kent County Council just how outrageous this plan is.”
Tree Weaver 