History of the Quarry

Pioneer Aggregates Ltd owned and worked the quarry up until 2000, followed by Hanson Aggregates Ltd acquiring the quarry in the early 2002.

Forest Wood Quarry has now been under our ownership since 2021.

Up until 1936, apart from limited controls, there were no planning restrictions on quarrying in the UK.
The Planning Act (1936) introduced the requirement to apply for planning permission in respect of ‘development’. However, in most cases, quarry companies were granted permission to work the majority or all of the land they owned. These permissions were granted as Interim Development Orders (IDOs) by
a local urban or rural district council.

In the case of Forest Wood Quarry, an IDO was granted by Cowbridge Rural District Council (reference number 329) on 2nd July 1947. This permission consisted of the winning, crushing, grading and disposing of stone from the quarry. Conditions for the IDO were determined and approved in September 1993.
The quarry currently operates under these conditions.

In accordance with Condition 3(f) of the IDO consent, in 1996 Pioneer Aggregates Ltd submitted details for the replacement of the existing aggregate processing plant and asphalt coating plant (Planning Application Ref. No 56/95/6D). The replacement of plant was granted permission subject to further conditions. While the aggregates processing plant has since been demolished, the asphalt coating plant continues to operate under these planning conditions.