Ibstock Brick is the owner and operator of the Dorket Head Brick factory and the associated quarry land. Over hundreds of years Ibstock and its predecessors have ensured the continuity of clay supply through extension of the existing quarry, initially west of Calverton Road, before commencement of working on the east side of Calverton Road in the early 1960's. Clay extraction has progressively worked easterly to date. A combination of the Eastern Extension approved in 2013 and the remainder of the existing consented areas leaves only circa 14 years clay. The small southerly extension could lift this to 17 years.

The National Planning Policy Framework para 146 identifies the need for Planning Authorities to 'plan for a steady and adequate supply of industrial minerals......at least 25 years for brick clay....'. Dorket Head will fall well short of the 25 years during the plan period to 2036 as current reserves will be exhausted two years prior to the end of the plan period. The plan for an adequate supply of minerals should commence with identification, where possible' of a future replacement quarry.

Ibstock Brick have proactively identified future quarry opportunities for both 'extension' sites and also remote quarries. It will be the intention of this company to promote the most appropriate of these sites in this current 'call for sites' exercise. The relative longevity between the call for sites and working timescales of proposed future quarry allocations does however mean that circumstances may change and flexibility should be built into the plan using criteria based selection for other alternative future sites.