Phil Kerry\'s Goldholme group have received planning permission to open a new, green-field site quarry near Clipsham in Rutland.

Phil Kerry says bore holes followed by a full trial dig have revealed good quality stone that he believes can compete with Clipsham, Ketton, Portland and Ancaster limestones.

He says the quarry is on the same geological horizon as Clipsham and that some of the stone will be sold as Clipsham.

The stone lies under 6-7m of overburden and the reserve is capable of producing large blocks, says Phil, from a completely new site that has never been blasted, so the stone is in pristine condition.

There are still planning issues to be finalised regarding the restoration of the quarry after the stone has been extracted, but Goldholme, who also own a quarry in Ancaster and a gold mine in Wales, believe they will be producing block from the quarry within a few weeks.

And there should be no problem with the continuity of supply as Phil Kerry says they have a 100-year planning consent, as well as permission to build a masonry works on the site. He praises consultants Halletec Associates for securing the planning permission.

It is unusual for a virgin quarry site to be opened for the supply of dimensional stone and the fact that this site, at Hooby Lane, Stretton, has not been the source of stone before is explained by Phil Kerry as the result of the 6m of overburden. But, he says: "There\'s so much stone when you get to it. We have 21m of excellent quality block."

His plans at the moment include installing a 35-45-tonne class excavator, perhaps with a pecker if the stone proves difficult to pull out. There will probably be a couple of Fickert & Winterling 1.6m saws on site, a wire saw and a mason\'s workshop. The site will employ 8-12 people.

Phil says the site could become as big as the Ancaster operation if the demand for the stone proves as good as it has at Ancaster. "We\'re rushed off our feet there," he says, adding that they have been trying to avoid putting on a second shift but look as if they will have to if demand does not slow.

The new planning permission covers 8.9 acres, which makes Hooby Lane larger than the Ancaster quarry. Goldholme believe the consented site contains 600,000 tonnes of reserves.

Most of the stone from the Ancaster quarry is used fairly locally in Rutland and Lincolnshire, although some goes north as far as Yorkshire.

Hooby Lane will primarily also help meet the currently high level of demand for dimensional and walling stone in the area, but Phil Kerry hopes it will also take them south and he intends to offer some of the stone as an alternative to Portland limestone from Dorset.

Although planning permission has taken several years to achieve, Phil believes the planners backed the project because it will mean the continued supply of stone for Rutland and Lancashire for a long time and because there is easy access to the A1 and routes north and south without going through any villages. Even so, lorry movements are restricted to eight a day.

For more information about the stone, contact: