The next phase of gravel extraction from Taplow Quarry will start soon,
so the Community Liaison Group met for an update on 25th September.
The site has been dormant for a couple of years following the
first phase of extraction. The completed area is now about 5m lower
than the original land level: soil has been re-laid and a
good-looking expanse of grass now covers it. The site is well
drained and could easily be used as playing fields (it is flat,
but not all level so more work may be needed for some uses).
The next area to be dug has been marked out and the soil was
cleared in August. Topsoil and subsoil are stored in separate
heaps in the worked-out part of the site. When this area is
worked out, a similar area to the south of the access road will
be cleared, with the soil being laid directly into the first
area and re-seeded.
The gravel here forms one of the "Taplow Terraces". It is
relatively clean (free of mud and clay) and has a good proportion
of sand. The beds are deeper than most in the area - 5.5m on
average with some areas up to 8m deep, giving more gravel from
a small area of land. The gravel bed sits on a thick layer of
chalk, and the water table is some 30m down at this point so
the workings will remain dry.
One interesting note was that in the last ice age the glaciers
came as far south as Beaconsfield, and when they melted the runoff
water carved deep channels and caves in the chalk. Later rivers
deposited moraine in the form of gravel beds in these depressions,
leading to the land-form that we now see.
Meeting
Extraction work will begin on 9th October. Demand is currently
low so the site will only operate Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday to
start with. Working hours will be 07:30 to about 16:00 There will
be one digger and one water bowser on-site, with one employee to
operate them. 5 lorries will be used, with each making about 10
round-trips per day to the Monkey Island Lane processing
plant. Around 1000 tonnes per day will be extracted. Summerleaze
believe that this phase will run for about 18 months, and yield
around 230,000 tonnes.
Most of the gravel goes to customers within 5 miles of the
processing plant, with small amounts travelling up to 10 miles.
Claires Court Schools have expressed interest in taking over the
site for playing fields when extraction ends. Their current fields
are on a yearly lease from the Licensed Victuallers Association
so they feel a bit insecure.
Residents of Boundary Road were concerned about noise and
dust. The worst of that should be over for now, as topsoil
clearance generates far more of both than gravel extraction
does. Summerleaze will install a monitoring station between the
work-site and the houses so that any problems can be investigated
properly.
Any problems should be reported to the Planning
department at Buckinghamshire County Council.
Andrew Findlay
