ASH was commissioned to prepare and cost proposals for the restoration of Blanefield Quarry, north of Glasgow
The worked-out quarry has been used for extracting quartz-gravel conglomerate (known locally as “Blanefield Quartz”) for many years by a number of mineral operators including Alfred Macalpine and Tarmac. The restoration was to be completed as part of the client's obligation in regards to the conditions set out in the lease agreement and planning permission.
Key Tasks
Site appraisal
Restoration masterplanning
Budget costing
End-use recommendations
What we did
The process of ASH involvement began with a site appraisal. Apart from an area of infill near the old farm buildings, now rough grazing, the site was found to be in a poor state, with old quarries, rock faces and settling pools interspersed with mounds of overburden and poorly drained, thin soils of low nutrient status and little in the way of vegetation. This contrasts with the attractive neighbouring Loch Ardinning Nature Reserve which lies immediately to the south of the quarry.
A restoration masterplan was devised by ASH which proposed to use the stockpiled overburden to locally infill pool edges, producing a more “natural” appearance; reducing the danger of unstable and sheer rockfaces by a combination of grading-back or grading-out or mounding to produce a stable slope; and reducing the depth of some of the deeper settling lagoons. Some lower rock faces were to be kept as landscape features.
Suggested after-uses included extending the nature reserve; rough grazing; a caravan/ camping/ picnic site linked to the reserve; and a golf course.
A budget cost for the restoration was arrived at and further engineering and soil testing studies recommended.
Find out more
We’re always happy to answer your questions. If you’d like to find out more about the services we can offer for your project, you can email us on info@ashglasgow.com or call 0141 227 3388.
