Monday 20 April 2015

AI wants Straitgate - but not because of a lack of gravel at Uffculme

Apparently, there is still some confusion about the amount of gravel at AI's Uffculme sites.

Whilst it's true that Houndaller, which already has permission (to the west of Hillhead), is sandier - sand incidentally that AI is currently short of, Penslade (N6/N8) has a similar gravel component to Straitgate; at least it did in 2011, when AI’s Estates Manager confirmed to us that there was a "similar quality at Straitgate as at Uffculme".

As far as ownership, DCC has confirmed that "Aggregate Industries UK Ltd have mineral ownership rights over N6 and N8. They also have surface ownership of the majority of the sites". As far as quantities, DCC has said "Aggregate Industries have advised that the potential resource within that part of the Penslade site shown as a preferred site in our consultation document (i.e. most of N6 and N8) is 8.1 million tonnes".