Environmental Impact
Goldholme Stone is the only natural stone quarry operator in the UK with an independent study to verify the environmental impact of its quarrying operations. The study was researched and compiled by environmental assessment consultant Hughes Craven (formerly Halletec Associates) and the results might just surprise you. Goldholme Stone’s range of limestone achieves a rating that showed it to have less than half the environmental impact of clay brick. Good news for both commercial and residential clients looking for an environmentally friendly solution with traditional masonry aesthetics.
Increased Demand
Despite the downturn in the economy, demand for Goldholme Stone’s range of environmentally friendly limestones continues to increase. And it was this increase in demand that prompted Goldholme’s MD, Phil Kerry, to seek additional reserves.
The stone has been chosen for several prestigious projects all over the UK from the Tower of London to Blenheim Palace. More recently, it has been used for major developments in London’s Park Lane and Belgravia. Work is under way to supply the 15ft arches for use on the five-star hotel connected to London’s St. Pancras station. The landmark station was re-opened by HM The Queen in November 2007 following an extensive, £800m refurbishment. Due to the sensitivity of the project, English Heritage assessed and approved Goldholme’s Stretton limestone to ensure its suitability for use on this prestigious project.
Stretton Quarry Reserves
It took two years and four revisions to the planning application, but in the end, eight of the nine committee members voted to support the application to extend Goldholme Stone’s Stretton quarry. The approval means up to 300,000 tonnes of Stretton limestone, quarried at Hooby Lane, Stretton in Rutland, will be made available, securing the future availability of the stone for another 10 years.
Ancaster Quarry Reserves
Meanwhile at their Ancaster Quarry, Goldholme Stone has been granted an extension to their existing quarry which will allow them to extract up to 1.2 million tonnes of Ancaster limestone over 30 years.
The site of the Ancaster quarry is steeped in Roman history. Archaeological evidence suggests the site was once a Roman fortress occupied by the 9th Legion of Emperor Claudius in AD45 when it was the region’s capital. There is also evidence of middle Iron Age settlement on the site. Goldholme Stone has agreed to meet the estimated £40,000 cost of the exploration work for this important archaeological site. The archaeologists are expected to complete their work in approximately 12 months.
Mr Kerry said “We’re delighted to have secured these additional reserves. It will give architects, clients and contractors additional confidence in our ability to produce large quantities of stone with the continuity of supply they need.”
The full study ‘A Comparison of the Environmental Impact of Various Building Materials’ can be downloaded from Goldholme Stone’s website at http://www.goldholme.com/impact.htm
Goldholme Stone has been producing the finest English limestone since 2001 and is one of the fastest growing and most well respected names in the British stone industry. The Company has locations spread across five counties producing a diverse range of colours and textures offering a viable alternative for most regional English limestones. http://www.goldholme.com/Submitted by: Alan Gayle of Gayle Associates: http://www.gayleassociates.co.uk/
