Environmental Impacts
We understand that residents may be concerned about the environmental impacts of our operations, such as dust, noise and blasting. Management and mitigation of these impacts are a top priority for our site team as part of our day-to-day operations.
Blasting
Blasting is an essential part of extracting limestone at Wensley Quarry – but it is tightly controlled. Each blast is carefully designed by specialists to keep vibration well within agreed limits. Modern electronic detonators are used to control the timing of each part of the blast, reducing ground vibration and air overpressure.
Blasts are monitored at selected locations around the quarry and results are recorded, reviewed and used to inform the design of future blasts. Blasting only takes place within a defined daytime window on weekdays between 09.00 and 15.00 in line with planning conditions. We try to keep the number of our blasts to a minimum to reduce disturbance and tend to blast once every two to three months.
Whilst we know that in certain locations some blasts can be felt, our monitoring data shows that blast vibrations at nearby homes are well within safe limits. Please get in touch if you would like to discuss this with us in more detail.
Dust
Dust can arise from several activities around the quarry, including vehicle movements, soil stripping, blasting and processing. To manage this, we operate under a Dust Management Plan – approved by the Planning Authority – which sets out controls, monitoring and mitigation measures. Some of these measures include:
- Using water sprays and misting systems on key parts of the processing plant, conveyors and crushers.
- Deploying a water bowser on internal roads during dry periods.
- Keeping main access routes hard-surfaced and enforcing low speed limits on site.
- Requiring all loaded road lorries to be sheeted before leaving the quarry.
We will continue to focus on controlling dust at its source. For example, we have recently invested in upgraded spray systems and sheeting on transfer points to improve dust suppression performance.
We are currently reviewing and updating the Dust Management Plan as part of the environmental assessments we are undertaking for the upcoming planning application. This will include reviewing our air quality monitoring network.
Noise
Noise from the quarry is mainly generated by plant and machinery, vehicle movements and the processing plant. We operate under a Noise Management Plan, which sets strict noise limits for sensitive receptors and requires us to undertake regular monitoring. The ways we currently manage noise include:
- Using soil and overburden bunds as noise barriers where appropriate.
- Maintaining and operating plant in line with manufacturer guidance, including fitting silencers and acoustic covers.
- Restricting working hours to:
- 06:00 to 18:00 Monday to Friday
- 06:00 to 13:00 on Saturdays
- No working on Sundays or public holidays
An updated Noise Assessment and revised Management Plan are being prepared as part of the Environmental Statement for the upcoming planning application. These will confirm how noise from future phases would be controlled.