For sound operational and environmental reasons, extensions to existing sites can provide a good opportunity to increase the stock of permitted reserves at an operational site. It should be clear that 'Extension' of a quarry may not mean an area entirely contiguous to the existing quarry but could include the traversing of the local road network or other boundary features to extend the site.
Ibstock Brick own and operate the Dorket Head Brick factory in Arnold and over hundreds of years, clay has been extracted locally to the factory, minimising transport by road and using a conveyor to move clay into the factory. Further extensions beyond the confines of the existing quarry boundary will be necessary in the plan period to maintain a stock of permitted reserve in accordance with National Planning Policy. As the site operator, preference will be given to the closest proximity 'extensions' which are both environmental acceptable and commercially available. If these key components cannot however be met, any presumption in favour of 'extending' the existing site may need to give way to other new remote greenfield site locations. At the plan making stage and given the relative timescales for new / extended sites coming 'on line' it is not possible to have complete certainty as to the commercial availability and environmental acceptability of the land, hence flexibility should be maintained in the policy.