Latest news with #Tarmac
Leader Live
21-07-2025
- Business
- Leader Live
Bid to extend life of Burley Hill Quarry near Mold rejected
Meeting at County Hall in Ruthin, planning committee members voted to reject Tarmac Trading Ltd's application to continue working Burley Hill Quarry, near Mold, for another 15 years. The proposal, which sought to extend operations without increasing the site's boundaries or the volume of mineral extracted, was refused by 15 votes to three. Tiffany Cox, a chartered surveyor who has worked with Tarmac for eight years, defended the application, telling councillors it was 'simply an extension of time to allow the approved, consented limestone'. She insisted that 'no further land would be disturbed' and argued the limestone was essential for infrastructure. 'Unlike other forms of development, minerals can only be worked where they are found and are essential to build our roads, houses, and other infrastructure,' she said. 'The limestone at Burley already forms part of the landbank, and if this application were refused, the landbank would need to be replenished by extensions at other sites or through the approval of entirely new greenfield quarries.' Despite officers recommending approval, citing the economic need, the proposal faced opposition from residents, community councils, environmental groups, and Senedd Members. But Cllr Alan James proposed approving the application, calling it 'extremely difficult' but acknowledging: 'We clearly have a need.' Cllr Ellie Chard seconded this, adding: 'I feel that we do have to have a landbank… I'm sorry, we need it for our roads and housing, so we do have to have it for Denbighshire and Flintshire, the quantities that we need.' Tarmac Trading Ltd have applied tp Denbighshire County Council with a Section 73 application, which if granted could allow the company to continue working at Burley Hill Quarry for 15 years.. But several councillors spoke strongly against the plan. Cllr Andrea Tomlin argued that 'tranquillity is difficult to measure'. She added: 'I think we get that (sense of need) from the locals, not from the report or paper definition.' She then warned that granting permission would be 'to the detriment of the amenity'. Alyn Valley member Cllr Terry Mendies opposed the plans. 'This is a classic case of common sense prevailing,' he said. 'Look at the residents' objections; the Senedd Members. 'Very succinctly, I would urge members to vote against this.' Cllr Mendies then formally proposed refusal, citing the 'unacceptable impact' on the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and the weight of formal objections. The committee also heard that, if rejected, the applicant could appeal the decision, and that the restoration of the site would be required if it were refused. The proposal had sparked fierce opposition in the run-up to the meeting. The Clwydian Range and Dee Valley AONB Joint Advisory Committee, four local community councils, Madra, Ramblers Cymru, and Senedd Members including Sam Rowlands, Carolyn Thomas, Darren Millar, Llyr Gruffydd, Hannah Blythyn, and Mark Isherwood all raised significant concerns, citing environmental harm, traffic, noise, and damage to tourism. The debate had been delayed twice previously to allow further public consultation. In the end, councillors sided with the objectors, delivering a resounding rejection of the plans, with 15 votes to three. Clwyd West MS Darren Millar welcomed the refusal to extend the life of Burley Hill Quarry, Eryrys. He said: 'I am pleased that common sense has prevailed, and that the majority of planning committee members listened to the concerns raised by the local community and could see the detrimental impact this would have had on the area. Read more 'Residents, Llanferres Community Council, Llanarmon-yn-Iâl Community Council, Nercwys Community Council, and Mold Town Council all opposed the plans, as did the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) joint advisory committee as well as Madra and Ramblers Cymru. 'I thank Cllr Terry Mendies for putting forward the proposal for refusal, I know he has been working hard with the local community in recent years to oppose this application. 'I also thank all other planning committee members who supported his recommendation and voted against the application. 'The dormant quarry is situated in a designated area of outstanding natural beauty, bringing it back into use would have caused much disruption and had a detrimental affect on tourism to the area. Today's outcome is therefore fantastic news!'
North Wales Live
18-07-2025
- Business
- North Wales Live
Controversial plan to reopen quarry in North Wales beauty spot thrown out
A controversial bid to extend the life of a dormant limestone quarry in a protected beauty spot has been thrown out by Denbighshire councillors. Meeting at County Hall in Ruthin this week, planning committee members voted to reject Tarmac Trading Ltd's application to continue working Burley Hill Quarry, near Mold, for another 15 years. The proposal, which sought to extend operations without increasing the site's boundaries or the volume of mineral extracted, was refused by 15 votes to three. Tiffany Cox, a chartered surveyor who has worked with Tarmac for eight years, defended the application, telling councillors it was 'simply an extension of time to allow the approved, consented limestone". She insisted that 'no further land would be disturbed' and argued the limestone was essential for infrastructure. 'Unlike other forms of development, minerals can only be worked where they are found and are essential to build our roads, houses, and other infrastructure,' she said. S ign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox. 'The limestone at Burley already forms part of the landbank, and if this application were refused, the landbank would need to be replenished by extensions at other sites or through the approval of entirely new greenfield quarries.' Despite officers recommending approval, citing the economic need, the proposal faced opposition from residents, community councils, environmental groups, and Senedd Members. But Cllr Alan James proposed approving the application, calling it 'extremely difficult' but acknowledging: 'We clearly have a need.' Cllr Ellie Chard seconded this, adding: 'I feel that we do have to have a landbank... I'm sorry, we need it for our roads and housing, so we do have to have it for Denbighshire and Flintshire, the quantities that we need.' But several councillors spoke strongly against the plan. Cllr Andrea Tomlin argued that 'tranquillity is difficult to measure'. She added: 'I think we get that (sense of need) from the locals, not from the report or paper definition.' She then warned that granting permission would be 'to the detriment of the amenity'. Alyn Valley member Cllr Terry Mendies opposed the plans. 'This is a classic case of common sense prevailing,' he said. 'Look at the residents' objections; the Senedd Members. Very succinctly, I would urge members to vote against this.' Cllr Mendies then formally proposed refusal, citing the 'unacceptable impact' on the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and the weight of formal objections. The committee also heard that, if rejected, the applicant could appeal the decision, and that the restoration of the site would be required if it were refused. The proposal had sparked fierce opposition in the run-up to the meeting. The Clwydian Range and Dee Valley AONB Joint Advisory Committee, four local community councils, Madra, Ramblers Cymru, and Senedd Members including Sam Rowlands, Carolyn Thomas, Darren Millar, Llyr Gruffydd, Hannah Blythyn, and Mark Isherwood all raised significant concerns, citing environmental harm, traffic, noise, and damage to tourism. The debate had been delayed twice previously to allow further public consultation. In the end, councillors sided with the objectors, delivering a resounding rejection of the plans, with 15 votes to three. Public notices in your area
North Wales Live
17-07-2025
- Automotive
- North Wales Live
Tarmac secures contract to bid for improvement projects on the A55
A materials and construction giant has secured a new contract for the road network in north and mid Wales and to bid for A55 improvement projects. Tarmac has secured a framework contract with the North and Mid Wales Trunk Road Agent (NMWTRA) to maintain the strategic network across the region. NMWTRA manages over 680 miles of the strategic trunk roads in North and Mid Wales including four A55 tunnels on behalf of the Welsh Government. The two-year contract with the option of a further two 12-month extensions will see Tarmac work as part of a contractor framework responsible for maintaining roads across Wrexham, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Powys and Ceredigion. The framework will also enable Tarmac to bid for improvement projects on the A55 North Wales Expressway, the 87-mile route between Chester and Holyhead. Tarmac said it will draw on its extensive network of Welsh asphalt plants including Dolyhir in Presteigne and quarries to provide on-demand, regional access to Welsh materials while supporting local jobs and boosting SME supply chains. Neil Carrick, commercial manager – Contracting Midlands at Tarmac, said: 'The award of this framework contract is a reflection of our proven experience and outstanding track record of sustainable and efficient project delivery in Wales. We look forward to further developing our successful relationship with NMWTRA and working collaboratively to minimise disruption and prioritise the safety of operatives and road users. 'As part of the contract delivery, we will draw on our extensive network of Welsh quarries and plants to secure local jobs and also create thriving supply chains which drive social and economic value.' NMWTRA was particularly impressed by Tarmac's commitment to recycled materials, with agency representatives visiting Dolyhir to learn more about the plant's recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) capabilities. Mark Jones, Commercial and Contracts Manager at NMWTRA, said: 'Upgrading regional roads provides a double benefit to Welsh communities. Not only does it ensure a safe, high-quality and reliable network for the hundreds of thousands of residents across North and Mid Wales but also helps to support the local job market. 'Developing strong relationships with partners like Tarmac is key to our vision of operating in an environmentally responsible and sustainable manner while delivering a road network that Wales can be proud of.'
Irish Post
17-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Post
Leading Irish building materials supplier pilots new cement technology in UK
AN Irish firm which is a leading global building materials supplier is piloting new technology at its UK operations which could decarbonise the cement production process. Dublin headquartered CRH, which has offices around the globe, is partnering with Material Evolution, a leader in advanced materials science, to pilot its alkali fusion technology in cement production. 'At the core of this innovation is MevoCem – a next-generation cement technology created through a unique mechano-chemical process,' the firm explains. 'Unlike traditional methods, this approach requires no heat as part of the cement production process,' they explain. 'Instead, it uses alkali fusion to activate non-reactive and less-reactive materials such as various industrial byproducts. 'With the addition of water, these materials behave like traditional cement." CRH will pilot the new technology at its UK-based firm Tarmac (Pic: CRH) CRH will pilot the use of MevoCem at its UK-based firm, Tarmac – which provides building materials to projecgts across the country. 'The project aims to demonstrate MevoCem's performance under a new set of performance-based guidelines developed by the British Standards Institution with the objective of making it simpler to use advanced cement technologies like MevoCem in everyday construction projects.' A CRH spokesperson said. The firm claims their innovation has the potential to offer a 'range of benefits for the cement industry'. These include turning underutilised materials into high-performance cements, simplying the cement production process and 'giving new life to materials previously considered as waste'. 'What's more, by eliminating heat, the process reduces the production of carbon emissions by up to 85 per cent compared to traditional Portland cement," the firm adds. See More: CRH, Cement, Mevocem, Tarmac
BBC News
07-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Peak Cluster carbon capture project 'could boost hundreds of jobs'
A project to develop a pipeline to capture carbon emitted by cement and lime factories in the Peak District and bury it below the Irish Sea will create hundreds of jobs, Chancellor Rachel Reeves has pipeline will be created to transfer carbon dioxide (CO2) from Derbyshire, Staffordshire and the North West to be stored in the depleted gas fields off the coast of Barrow-in-Furness in said the £59.6m project would modernise the cement and lime industry, create jobs and deliver "vital carbon capture infrastructure".The government said the Peak Cluster project was the world's largest cement decarbonisation project, and would create about 300 jobs. A further 1,200 temporary roles will be created during construction of the pipeline, the government said, while more than 2,000 jobs in cement and lime production will be "supported" by the total, the Peak Cluster and Morecambe Net Zero carbon storage projects "could create and secure 13,000 jobs".Carbon capture and storage is where CO2 produced from power stations and industrial processes is captured at source, rather than escaping into the atmosphere and adding to global warming. Peak Cluster is backed by £28.6m from the government's National Wealth Fund (NWF), and £31m from private partners including Holcim, Tarmac, Breedon, SigmaRoc, Summit Energy Evolution and Progressive said: "We're modernising the cement and lime industry, delivering vital carbon capture infrastructure and creating jobs across Derbyshire, Staffordshire and the North West to put more money into working people's pockets."Cement is the modern world's most common construction the cement and lime industries are two of the hardest industrial sectors to decarbonise due to the high levels of CO2 emissions generated in the manufacturing year, BBC climate editor Justin Rowlatt said if cement was a country, it would be the third biggest source of emissions after China and the US, responsible for 7.5% of human-made Peak Cluster project will prevent more than three million tonnes of CO2 entering the atmosphere each year, the government said. 'Clean energy transition' Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said: "This landmark investment will catalyse our carbon capture sector to deliver thousands of highly skilled jobs and growth across our industrial heartlands, as part of our plan for change."Workers in the North Sea and Britain's manufacturing heartlands will drive forward the country's industrial renewal, positioning them at the forefront of the UK's clean energy transition."The NWF said it would commit at least £5.8bn by 2030 in hydrogen, carbon capture, ports and supply chains, gigafactories and EV [electric vehicle] supply chains, and Flint, NWF CEO, said: "Substantial private investment, deployed at risk, will be needed to develop and deliver carbon capture projects across the UK."Through its investments, the NWF is well placed to support this, especially in hard to abate sectors such as cement and lime, to ensure a pipeline of projects is ready for deployment and the UK is able to meet its ambitious carbon capture targets."John Egan, chief executive of Peak Cluster Ltd, said the plan would help to secure "a sustainable future for the cement and lime industry", and "benefit communities across the Midlands and North West of England".
