A quarry near Shepton Mallet may need to expand in the near future to meet local demand for road surfacing material.

Somerset Council has conducted a review of its Minerals Plan, which measures the capacity of each of the quarries operating within its boundaries and identifies where additional extraction may be needed.

The plan requires there to be a 15-year supply of two types of crushed rock – carboniferous limestone (which is used to produce concrete and other building materials) and silurian andesite (also known as basalt, which is used to produce skid-resistant road surfaces).

Following the recent decision to reopen Whatley Quarry near Frome, the council has enough limestone to meet existing demand for at least the next 25 years.

However, the current supply of silurian andesite will run out within 15 years – meaning Moons Hill Quarry, located near Stoke St. Michael, just a few miles north-east of Shepton Mallet, may need to be extended to continue meeting demand.

Moons Hill Quarry, operated by John Wainwright & Co. Ltd., is currently the only quarry in Somerset producing silurian andesite. The company applied in December 2023 for permission to expand its operations and extract nearly 19 million tonnes of additional material.

A spokesman for Land and Mineral Management, representing the quarry, said: "The stone from the complex provides material for high skid-resistant, wearing surfaces. Oolitic limestone, which is also quarried in Somerset, cannot match the same high skid resistance, and the nearest commonly used alternative supplies are from Wales, Cornwall or Ireland. As a result, the andesite from the complex is used in Somerset and the surrounding counties and eastwards, including London. The continued supply of andesite is therefore of local, regional, and national importance."

The need for the expansion was confirmed in a report discussed by the council's planning and transport policy sub-committee in Taunton last week.

Councillor Ros Wyke, portfolio holder for economic development, planning, and assets, emphasised the significant impact of quarries like Moons Hill on the local economy: "The impact of our quarries is huge. They make a huge contribution to the wider economy of Somerset and beyond, and we need to recognise that the east Mendip Hills is providing that role. We have two railheads which take the pressure off the wider road network, but the traffic still has a huge impact. In the past, we have not been very sympathetic to locals in the north of the county."

Ms Wyke also called for the council to ensure that "the impact of quarry traffic on the local community is identified and mitigated appropriately where possible," a proposal which was supported by the wider committee.

The council has not confirmed how soon the Moons Hill Quarry plans will come before its strategic planning committee for a decision. However, the expansion of this quarry near Shepton Mallet could play a crucial role in meeting the region's infrastructure needs.