NEWS RELEASE – Monday 17 October 2016

Hills Quarry Products and Farmcare Ltd have agreed a mineral partnership that will provide access to significant mineral reserves in the Cotswold Water Park area.

“Hills has extensive experience in operating quarries in the Cotswold Water Park area and is proud to be working with Farmcare as a long-term mineral partner,” said Peter Andrew, group director Hills Quarry Products.  “These significant mineral reserves will provide an essential long-term supply of construction materials into the regions’ market.”

Richard Quinn, CEO Farmcare said: “We are delighted to be working with Hills, we recognise the importance and value of long term decisions and how we identify appropriate and like-minded businesses who can extract these resources and deliver a leading approach to restoration and the environment within such a project.”

The first phase of the partnership will see Hills operate the new Latton North Quarry on the Gloucestershire / Wiltshire border.

The 40 hectare site, which has been known as the ‘Six and One’ site, is split into two parts, east and west, and is situated just off the Cirencester Road.  The sand and gravel reserve is estimated at 550,000 tonnes.

Works to complete the construction of a new access from the quarry onto the Cirencester Road (the old A419) will be completed by the end of October.  Extraction of mineral will begin in the west area and continue in four phases at an estimated 85,000 tonnes per year with progressive restoration back to agricultural land.

As no processing operations will take place at the Latton North Quarry, the sand and gravel dug there will be transported to the nearby Cerney Wick Quarry for processing.  Site traffic will be directed from the north of the new site to avoid the villages of Down Ampney and Latton.

Latton North quarry is planned to last approximately seven years allowing for both extraction and restoration works.    END

Notes to editors:-

Hills Quarry Products specialises in the production and supply of quarry products and ready-mixed concrete to the construction and agricultural sectors. It is a dynamic regional business which, while centred on Wiltshire, has stretched its boundaries into neighbouring areas to become one of the region’s largest suppliers.  Hills Quarry Products is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Hills Group Limited, a privately owned family company established in 1900.

Media contact:

Monique Hayes, Group communications officer, The Hills Group Limited

Tel:  01793 714978       monique.hayes@hills-group.co.uk

@HillsQuarry       Hills Group

Farmcare Ltd  –  Specialists in combinable crops, Farmcare – the UK’s leading rural and agricultural business – markets in excess of 80,000 tonnes of produce each year from its network of 12 estates spanning the length and breadth of the country.  From apples to apricots and from peas to potatoes and onions, the business harnesses both the best of traditional approaches and sector-leading modern methods, for quality and guaranteed supply.

Media contact:  Sarah Wallwork, Concker Communications    sarah@conkercommunications.com