Quarry Restoration

More new nature reserves and wildlife habitats are created from restored quarries than any other land use. Brett has a long track record of responsibly operating and restoring its quarries to leave a positive lasting legacy.

We are proud to employ an experienced team who have achieved more awards in recognition of the quality of our work than any other independent company in the quarrying industry. Securing more than 50 such awards for outstanding restoration, our quarry restoration schemes have been recognised not only by UK industry organisations but also by Europe-wide organisations concerned with environmental protection and nature conservation.

Restoration at Hatfield Aerodrome

The restoration scheme at Hatfield Aerodrome has been designed to provide both beneficial public amenity and enhanced nature conservation. As part of the consultation we are able to consider a range of alternatives for the site to deliver the optimum restoration scheme that best meets the needs of people in the local community.

The outline scheme proposed comprises a field pattern similar to that which would have existed prior to the aerodrome being constructed, with a landscape in keeping with the existing Ellenbrook Fields. The aim will be to create a diverse landscape of grassland habitats with the ground carefully engineered to control surface water and groundwater flow. We will implement a scheme to deliver an overall ‘biodiversity net gain’ at the site whilst reinstating and enhancing the current accessibility of the greenspace for local people.

The landcover will consist of a broad area of gently sloping conservation grassland (from west to east), divided by hedgerows and with some complimentary wetland and pond features, as illustrated. The proposed waterbodies include both shallow scrapes, ponds and a deeper waterbody at the north-eastern end of the application site.

Considering the wider local area, the scheme also aims to respond to the local landscape character of the ‘Area 31 De Havilland Plain’, which extends from Cromerhyde in the north, southwards across the former Hatfield Aerodrome and up to the ground of Oaklands College on the edge of St Albans, as defined in The Welwyn Hatfield Landscape Character Assessment (2005) .

Restoration process

Restoration of the land will progressively follow behind the phased extraction of the mineral using the soils and other materials (eg boulder clay) already on the site, combined with imported inert restoration materials that cannot be reused in construction (such as soils and clays from other local developments). There are strict controls regarding what can and cannot be brought onto a site for restoration and every load is checked to ensure compliance.