Chipping Sodbury quarry community page

Hello future

On 02 October 2023 we rebranded to Heidelberg Materials. As well as aligning with our parent company, our new name better reflects the company we are today.

We’re focused on driving down carbon emissions, increasing the use of recycled materials to grow the circular economy and leading our industry towards net zero with innovative projects such as carbon capture and storage.

Some of the new Heidelberg Materials signage and vehicle livery is already in place and we hope to have completed this within the next two years. Please note that our email and website details have also changed.

Find out more

About Chipping Sodbury quarry

Located in South Gloucestershire to the north of Chipping Sodbury and Yate, Chipping Sodbury quarry produces around 1,000,000 tonnes of limestone aggregate a year. It supplies construction materials to projects ranging from major motorway repair schemes to local building works. 

Read more about the quarry

Quarry Restoration

Chipping Sodbury quarry has the potential to contribute to UK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) priority habitats for mesotrophic water, woodland and grassland through the restoration of quarry benches, the excavation voids and quarry waste tips:

  • On cessation of quarrying the excavated voids will mainly fill with water to create mesotrophic water bodies.
  • Quarry benches are soiled and either planted with linear native broadleaf woodland strips to provide bat and bird feeding corridors or left unsoiled to create low fertility calcareous grassland habitat for invertebrates.
  • Quarry waste tips are landscaped, soiled and restored to a mixture of grassland meadows sown with a native seed mix and native broadleaf woodland and hedgerows.

Great Crested Newt Project

As part of ongoing quarrying activities it was necessary to apply for a European Protected Species licence for GCNs to extend the quarry waste tip footprint. The licence was granted and GCNs carefully captured and relocated by ecologists from the development area.Many habitat enhancements were carried out in 2014 as part of the licence which included the creation of 6 new ponds, several temporary wet scrapes, planting of 2,900 trees and shrubs and 3 brushwood hibernacula. The species and ponds will continue to be monitored to ensure no adverse effects have occurred and it has already been found that GCNs have started using the new ponds only one year after their creation.

Quarry biodiversity

Chipping Sodbury Quarry has a Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) that aims to target and enhance the habitats and species found on site and to work with local communities. In addition the quarry also has a Habitat Management and Maintenance Plan that draws on the targets of the site BAP and lays out in detail the operations and timings required in order to achieve the plan’s aims.

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Ridge Wood

Owned by Hanson Aggregates, Ridge Wood is long strip of woodland on steeply sloping ground running along the Yate/Chipping Sodbury boundary near the old Barnwood quarry, and is managed by South Gloucestershire Council and the Friends of Ridge Wood group.

Read more about Ridge Wood 

Image: RAF Red Arrows. Credit Jay Cawston

Red Arrows fly past Chipping Sodbury Quarry

This image was taken from a Red Arrow cockpit and you can see Chipping Sodbury quarry in the background. View the full video here

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Transformation impresses judges

The transformation of part of a 120-year-old disused quarry in Chipping Sodbury into homes and a supermarket received a highly commended certificate from the Mineral Products Association.

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Mineral collecting at Chipping Sodbury Quarry

The Russell Society has been welcome to collect minerals at Chipping Sodbury Quarry for many years with the agreement of the quarry management team. Trips to Chipping Sodbury Quarry are organised by the Russell Society  Southern Branch.

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Community visits

If you are interested in upcoming visits, or would like to arrange one, please use the form below.

Find out more about community visits

Sponsorship

Hanson Sponsor a wide range of projects in the surrounding area. Recently this has included The Ridge Wood Woodlands Activity Day, Chipping Sodbury Rotary Club - Young Innovator and the Gloucester County History Trust

Brinsham Bridge Project

Otters use the Brinsham stream as a commuting corridor. As part of quarry development to access Brinsham East a new bridge was required to cross the stream with quarry machinery. The bridge was carefully designed by engineers and ecologists to ensure that otters continue to use the stream at both low and high water events. The bridge was installed in 2014 and evidence has shown since its installation that the otters continue to use the stream and that they often rest and spraint under the new bridge.

A history of quarrying in and around The Ridge

There are clues to suggest that quarrying has taken place at the Ridge for many centuries. 

Read an article covering the history of quarrying in the area on Ridgewood's website

Site liaison

Joe Edwards - unit manager

Email: chippingsodburyquarry@uk.heidelbergmaterials.com

Community Liaison Group

Chipping Sodbury Quarry Community Liaison Group Meeting Minutes - 7 September 2023

PDF, 476.47 KB

View site address information and contact details for sales and customer services

Careers

We advertise our opportunities on the Heidelberg Materials website, leading online job boards and in print media. 

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Downloads

Hanson Quarry Tour Chipping Sodbury Festival

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Entry in 2018 Quarry Life Award - Enabling colonisation and enriching biodiversity

A project on wetland creation in limestone quarries: enabling colonisation and enriching biodiversity is taking place this year at the Chipping Sodbury quarry. Click to read more

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Entry in 2018 Quarry Life Award - Endangered European eel

The project is based at Chipping Sodbury quarry and will review current understanding of Eel habitat requirements and present restoration opportunities and recommendations. Click to read more about this project.

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Become a supplier

Request more information on how to become a supplier.

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Interesting facts: The quarry contains carboniferous limestone laid down on 33 degree beds. The main processing plant on the surface is at 110m AOD. Hampsted Farm excavation area is currently 5 levels deep down to a level of 20m AOD. The natural water table is at 80m AOD. Water is pumped from the site to augment flows into Brinsham stream.