2015 – Another Successful Year

This year has been another successful year for the company as activity in the construction industry has grown. We are currently working on 4 planning applications for aggregates, industrial minerals and building stone for minerals to supply the construction sector, mainly housing and commercial development in West Yorkshire and Lancashire. Applications that have received planning permissions this year have been for extensions to two building stone quarries, a new permission for a flag quarry and planning permission for a 1.2 million tonne extension to a limestone quarry. The waste sector is going through the transition of disposal to recovery and our engineers have designed recovery schemes for recovery and recycling materials and have obtained permits for two restoration schemes for using recovered inert waste for quarries with some recycling of hard construction waste for sale. We are currently awaiting advice on whether the Environment Agency deem the restoration of the quarries as recovery. Due to the Government cut backs the time scale for determination is taking up to 6 weeks longer. With the development of brownfield land our engineers are assisting architects on contamination issues, mine workings and coal mining risk assessments. This year the company have completed 35 coal mining risk assessments in all the former coalfields apart from Kent. As our mining engineer has worked in the coal industry the company has first hand experience of the techniques used to mitigate subsidence at the mines. We have been able to complete the validation of 3 new housing sites that were mothballed in 2008 and were started in 2013. The progress on site has been recorded to provide verification that a housing site has been remediated and gardens and open space are not a risk to the environment. As regards sustainability, we are currently project managing refurbishment of former industrial buildings for housing with the client which is both rewarding and a learning experience for our engineers on the day to day issues that can arise. Finally, the company on behalf of a client have received planning permission for 15 houses in West Yorkshire which is the culmination of 5 years work. The site is to be placed on the market in the new year and further information can be obtained by contacting the company. John Carlon