Hope Construction Materials opens the Black Cat Quarry

New quarry opened in Bedfordshire

UK-based independent building materials supplier, Hope Construction Materials, has opened its first greenfield quarry. The Black Cat Quarry near Roxton, Bedfordshire, will supply over 100 000 tpa of sand and gravel. This will be used in Hope’s ready-mix concrete plants in Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridge and Hertfordshire, which will be provided for building and construction projects in the Northern Home Counties.

The new £1.5 million quarry forms part of the company’s UK development plan. It will ensure a good supply of aggregates and complement Hope’s current operations in Willington, which comprise aggregates recycling, concrete and landfill of inert wastes.

The site, which features a state-of-the-art sand and gravel processing plant, will be operated by up to ten employees, including a manager, processing plant operators, digger and dumper drivers, as well as contract delivery drivers.

Hope Chairman Amit Bhatia officially opens Black Cat Quarry, alongside (left to right) Simon Bryant – Black Cat Quarry Manager, Sean Hoare, Managing Director ECL Civil Engineering and Lee Babb, Senior Buyer ECL Civil Engineering. ECL is the first customer to purchase the new sand and gravel, which will be used for major house building projects in the region.

Environmental commitment

Hope Construction Materials will perform phased-restoration work at the site as operations progress. This will be in line with the Bedfordshire and Luton Biodiversity Action Plan and the West Anglian Plain Natural Area. The company has also committed to providing ongoing restoration work to improve flood relief around the Great Ouse River.

In addition, the quarry will have access to the A1 via a dedicated road, which will limit traffic and vehicle movement on local roads.

A significant landmark

“At just 18 months old Hope Construction Materials is still a young company and we are delighted to have reached this significant landmark. Black Cat is the company’s first new quarry development, securing our aggregates supply in the vital Home Counties market for the next few years. It helps us to remain competitive in the supply of local concrete and represents a significant step forward for the business,” said Clive Rillstone, Hope’s Regional Director for the South. “As with any project we work on, Hope has a strong commitment to the restoration of all areas once operations are completed. We have worked closely with local authorities and organisations and taken steps to ensure we are a good neighbour.”

Adapted from press release by Louise Fordham

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/europe-cis/03102014/hope-construction-materials-opens-new-quarry-near-roxton-606/