UK Concrete Planning News

Aggregate Industries UK Limited, a subsidiary of Holcim, has secured planning permission for the construction of a concrete batching plant at its Rhugarbh Depot in Barcaldine, Oban, Argyll and Bute.

The depot currently serves as a support facility for Glensanda Quarry, the coastal super quarry operated by Foster Yeoman, a trading company of Aggregate Industries. Operational services performed by the depot include access for all plant, machinery and personnel to the quarry by service boats. The proposed mobile concrete batching plant will occupy less than 0.5 hectares within the existing depot.

The planning consent for the mobile concrete batching plant was issued in February 2024. In design it is likely to be a McCrory MCM60 measuring approximately 16 metres in length, 2.6 metres in width, and stand at a maximum height of 7.1 metres. Despite utilising 0.49 hectares of the operational site, the physical structures, including the plant, cabin, and storage bays, will cover less than 250m2. Adjacent to the plant, a mobile sealed horizontal cement silo will be installed.

The sourcing of aggregates for the batching plant will be facilitated directly from Glensanda Quarry via maritime transport, eliminating the need for road transportation. Cement will be delivered by bulk powder tankers, accessing the site via the existing entrance. Aggregates are stored in designated concrete bays adjacent to the plant, while cement will be stored in a sealed mobile silo. The plant's estimated annual production is projected to be around 11,500 cubic metres of concrete, translating to 8 to 10 loads per day based on 6 cubic metre loads.

The plant is expected to operate from Monday to Sunday, between 07:00-19:00. With circumstances where work outside of these hours might become necessary, particularly for contracts that demand a continuous flow of concrete, such as bridge construction projects.