An application to restore the landscape at a controversial disused quarry and upgrade a road that will allow quarrying to continue in a new location is to return to Falkirk Council’s planning committee.

While quarrying stopped at Cowdenhill Quarry, Banknock, around 15 years ago, many residents remember vividly the problems it brought, with HGV traffic, dust, noise and spillages on local roads.

Since its closure in 2011, the site has lain untouched and the previous operator did not fulfil its obligations to undertake restoration work.

Now, a new operator, Holcim UK, has been granted permission to start quarrying nearby at Tomfyne Farm, which is in the North Lanarkshire Council area.

Plans for the restoration of Cowdenhill Quarry will go back before councillors this month. (Pic: Michael Gillen)

placeholder image — Plans for the restoration of Cowdenhill Quarry will go back before councillors this month. (Pic: Michael Gillen)

That application is accompanied by another to Falkirk Council to allow Holcim to restore the landscape around Cowdenhill Quarry and to upgrade a road that will be used for access to the new site at Tomfyne.

The application came to the committee on May 20 but members decided they needed more information to make a decision.

At the previous meeting residents raised several concerns, including the problem of Japanese Knotweed, an invasive plant which has been found in various places across the site.

According to the new report going to the committee, Holcim has engaged Environmental Reclamation Services (ERS), “a specialist and experienced remediation contractor to map the current extents and advise on a detailed eradication and monitoring scheme”.

The committee also requested more detail about the wheel wash and wheel cleaning, which residents fear would actually transfer pollution from vehicles into local burns and rivers.

According to the updated report, Holcim have advised that they operate a two tier system on all of their sites with a combination of wheel cleaning and / or washing of quarry vehicles coupled with the use of a road sweeper that cleans surfaced tracks and junction with the public road.

It also advises that the wheel wash will use a closed-loop system, which means there will be no loss of water.

Full details of the wheel wash arrangements are required to be agreed with Falkirk Council before permission is granted.

The report also addresses the residents’ concerns that nature has already begun to reclaim the quarry site and further work is not needed.

The report says that while there has been some natural regeneration, “a level of work does need to be carried out to secure a long term stable and safe space”.

It also notes that the previous operator did not leave the quarry in a stable condition and this will be addressed, while also ensuring that the quarry void is less of an attraction for swimming in.

The restoration work, according to the applicant, is also necessary to prevent flooding as water levels in the quarry continue to rise and flooding could spill over into local burns and eventually nearby houses.

The application will be discussed at a meeting of Falkirk Council’s planning committee on Wednesday, August 19 at 10am at Grangemouth Community Education Unit, Abbots Road. The meeting will also be livestreamed on Falkirk Council’s YouTube channel.