Shepton: quarry expansion approved until 2056
By Laura Linham 11th Mar 2026
A major quarry near Shepton Mallet has been granted permission to keep operating until 2056 after councillors approved plans to expand the site.
Moons Hill Quarry, off Long Cross Bottom near Stoke St Michael, is run by John Wainwright & Co. Ltd. and is a key source of silurian andesite used for road surfacing across Somerset and the wider south of England.
Somerset Council's strategic planning committee approved the expansion when it met in Taunton on Wednesday, 19 February.
The decision allows the quarry to extend 16.63 hectares — just over 41 acres — westwards into fields near Knapps Farm, north of Old Frome Road.
Previously the quarry had permission to operate until 2042 within its existing footprint, after which the land was due to be restored in line with national and local planning policies.
The new plans will extend the life of the quarry by 14 years and are expected to protect around 200 jobs including employees, hauliers and contractors.
The extension area will stretch as far as the grade II listed Waggon and Horses public house. The land is currently classified by Defra as "poor quality", meaning it has severe limitations for viable agriculture.
Preparatory work is expected to begin in the coming months, including permanently diverting public rights of way and removing vegetation over a three-year period.
Quarrying within the extension area is expected to start by 2029.
Over the lifetime of the project, around 18.82 million tonnes of silurian andesite will be extracted in four phases across 27 years — roughly 700,000 tonnes per year.
The extension will be accessed internally from the existing quarry, with heavy goods vehicles continuing to use one of three access points on Long Cross Bottom Road.
Moons Hill Quarry currently employs around 120 people directly, along with 60 hauliers and 20 contractors.
John Wainwright chairman Peter Barkwill told councillors the company had deep roots in the Mendips.
"We've been trading since 1891 and have operated Moons Hill Quarry since 1897, employing generations of local people and making a positive contribution to the economy, local communities and the environment," he said.
"The majority of our employees are from the local area. We are absolutely committed to the area, and we put environmental sustainability at the heart of our activities."
Councillor Barry Clarke, whose Mendip Central and East division includes the site, said the quarry played an important role in the county's economy.
"The quarry is a big business in Somerset, almost exclusively in my area," he said.
"You will find many examples of land management and restoration to practical use — for example, the Charlie Bigham food campus in Dulcote, the Cookswood holiday homes and the industrial estate at Underwood near Wells."
Councillor Edric Hobbs added that quarrying had long been part of the Mendips' economic landscape.
"I don't want to see the Mendips quarried away any more than anybody else does," he said.
"But as someone who studied A-level geology 45 years ago, I'm well aware of the economic importance and benefit of quarrying andesite."
The committee voted unanimously to approve the expansion plans.
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Original reporting: LDRS/Daniel Mumby
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