Westdown Quarry near Shepton Mallet could reopen, if permission is granted.

A stretch of Somerset woodland near Shepton Mallet could be "seamlessly extended" and enhanced for future generations if a nearby quarry is allowed to reopen.

Hanson Aggregates, which employs around 3,500 people across its 280 UK sites, has applied to reopen Westdown Quarry, which lies near the A361 between Frome and Shepton Mallet.

And if it does, the company – which also operates Whatley Quarry within the Mendip district – has pledged that it will enhance the nearby Asham Wood and the former Asham quarry, including the existing rights of way through the site. Somerset County Council is expected to decide whether the quarry can reopen later in the year. The UK uses around 250 million tonnes of aggregates each year – the equivalent of four tonnes for every man, woman and child in Britain – of which 28 per cent (c. 70 million tonnes) is sources from recycled materials. The construction industry has seen demand for mineral products – and especially limestone, a key ingredient for concrete – skyrocket in 2021, led in no small part by major infrastructure projects like the dualling of the A303. National demand for limestone is expected to rise to 267 million tonnes a year (a rise of 18 per cent) by 2030 – meaning more quarries will need to reopen if the UK is to avoid reliance on foreign imports. In the last 12 months, materials produced by Hanson have been used in a large number of major infrastructure projects across the south west – including the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station, the sea wall reinforcements at Dawlish and the nightingale hospital in Exeter. Once reopened, Westdown Quarry will be able to handle local demand using road haulage on the arterial A361 – leaving the nearby Whatley Quarry to focus on supplying national infrastructure projects like HS2 and Crossrail through its mainline rail link. This "combined approach", the company believes, would "bring benefits to the neighbouring communities" – especially when it comes to minimising traffic through the villages nearest the two quarries. A spokesman said: "Our overarching principle is that the combined operations of the two quarries, including mineral volumes and vehicle movements, will not exceed the current levels for Whatley. "Our aim is to take advantage of Westdown's location, close to key road routes, to supply local demand. At Whatley this will enable greater use of the rail link to supply national markets. "Together, these steps will cut our carbon footprint and reduce the impact of quarry traffic on neighbouring villages." Hanson has already reduced its UK CO2 emissions by nearly 50 per cent between 1990 and 2020, and is investing a further £55M by 2025 in a bid to reach net zero by 2050. The company has been working on reducing its carbon footprint through a variety of ventures – including carbon capture and stores at its Padeswood cement works in north Wales, and using hydrogen fuel at its Ribblesdale base in Lancashire. Whatley Quarry currently has permission to extract eight million tonnes per year for the next three years, with the material being split roughly half-and-half between rail and road freight. Should Westdown Quarry reopen, Whatley's annual output will drop to six million tonnes a year (with a 2:1 split between rail and road traffic), with Westdown contributing up to two million tonnes per year, which will be distributed by road. In addition to reopening Westdown Quarry, Hanson has also pledged to restore the nearby Asham void, allowing the popular Asham Wood to be "seamlessly extended" and enhanced through improved access for pedestrians, cyclists and equestrians. Hanson estimates the two quarries operating in tandem would generate £2bn for the UK economy by 2042, as well as protecting 200 jobs directly at the quarries and around 700 jobs in the surrounding communities, including retail and hospitality. The council is expected to make a decision on the plans later in the year.