Burton Joyce Residents' Association: Sand and Gravel Mining

Sand and gravel has been extracted from the Trent Valley for a very long time but most of the extraction has taken place in the past fifty years. Gravel extraction areas used to be restored for agricultural use but as the extent of extraction has increased and the availability of suitable filling materials failed to keep pace, extraction areas in the Trent Valley are now “restored to water”. “Restored” is a euphemism for meaning left to fill up with water – a much cheaper option for the extraction company than importing filling material. This means that the Trent Valley is now like a gorgonzola cheese – full of holes, but filled with water.

Yet more gravel extraction is sometimes promoted with the argument that afterwards, there will be enhanced opportunities for water activities, nature conservation areas and promises of public access. The reality is often very different. Very few of the water areas between Nottingham and Newark created as a result of gravel extraction in the past are available to the public. Just Colwick lakes and Netherfield ponds are accessible, all the rest are private. Some areas of water have been well restored and are well looked after as private fishing lakes, boating lakes or areas for nature conservation. Some have just been left to decay or recover on their own.

Today, after gravel extraction, the companies are supposed to restore the site as agreed as part of the planning permission granted. But can we rely on these companies to honour such agreements?

Gunthorpe Lakes is an example of a neglected site. Extraction was finished here in 1978, since then no restoration has taken place. The responsibility for restoration has now passed to the landowner, Severn Trent Water, and although the County Council had made orders requiring action to be taken to restore the area by certain dates, nothing has happened.

Some people like the lakes the way they are – nature taking over, doing its own thing. Others think it is a mess. There are, we understand, issues about the increased flood risk posed by the way the site has been left – which do need to be sorted out.

I must say that I like the lakes, except the biggest one at the bottom near the river. Wildlife people tell me that the steep sides prevent it from being useful for much wildlife, fisherman tell me that it has the biggest fish. Personally I find it very unattractive, it usually looks gloomy and I always call it the “big ugly pond at the bottom”. I hardly ever see any birds on it so I assume they feel the same about it as I do.

If more sand and gravel extraction is eventually permitted on the riverside, we shall not be left with delightful ponds like the existing smaller ones. Instead there will be two or three vast areas of water that will cover the whole area. Haven’t we got enough of those in the Trent Valley already?

Here’s some examples of past extraction area in the county to see what we could end up with.

Hoveringham Sixty years on?