Smiths & Sons (Bletchington) Ltd, an independent family-owned aggregates producer based in Oxfordshire, received planning consent in June 2025 for a major extension to its Dewars Farm Quarry, located near Ardley, South East. The newly approved development, known as the north-east extension, will allow for the extraction of up to 3.6 million tonnes of Middle Jurassic White Limestone from an area of approximately 37 hectares of agricultural land, near the Viridor Ardley Energy Recovery Facility and the M40 motorway.
The extension is required to address the accelerated depletion of existing reserves at Dewars Farm Quarry. While the current quarry has permission to operate until 2028, the existing reserves are expected to be exhausted before the end of 2024 due to the high extraction rate driven by market demand. The quarry, having been in operation since 2004, will continue to extract limestone at an average rate of 450,000 tonnes per annum over an eight-year period.
Following extraction, the void will be infilled over a further four years, using site-derived soils and overburden, together with approximately 1.3 million cubic metres of imported inert material, including excavation and demolition waste from local construction projects. The area is expected to return to agricultural use.
For individuals in the industry seeking comprehensive information on Great Britain’s mineral sector, the 2025 edition of BDS Directory of Pits & Quarries has just been released. The directory provides detailed listings of active Sand & Gravel and Crushed Rock sites throughout Great Britain and is a helpful resource for operators, planners, contractors and suppliers involved in construction, infrastructure and materials supply. The directory includes a list of all operating sites and includes site name, address details, operator and material type. To learn more or to purchase the directory, visit the BDS website or contact BDS directly at contact@bdsmarketing.co.uk.
This is one of over 30 minerals and associated planning schemes identified last month by BDS as part of its regular monitoring of all 400+ planning authorities in Great Britain. Access to this information is available by annual subscription to the BDS Planning Portal. For more information on subscribing to the Portal or BDS research services and published reports, email: contact@bdsmarketing.co.uk or visit www.bdsmarketing.co.uk