HISTORIC PRESS RELEASE : Local Communities Affected by Quarrying set to Benefit from Environmental Improvements [August 2000]

The press release issued by HM Treasury on 25 August 2000.

Promoting conservation and funding research into more sustainable construction practices are amongst the wide-ranging proposals announced today by Treasury Minister Stephen Timms to help reduce the environmental impacts of quarrying.

A consultation into proposals for the ‘Sustainability Fund’ launched today sets out possible approaches to delivering environmental benefits to local communities affected by sand, gravel and crushed rock quarrying.

Announcing the consultation, Stephen Timms, Financial Secretary to the Treasury said:

“This new Fund provides an excellent opportunity to deliver real environmental benefits – not only to local communities affected by the impact of quarrying – but also for the future of construction design and aggregates recycling.”

Revenue for the Fund will be recycled from the aggregates levy due to be introduced from April 2002.

The consultation document invites views from all interested parties on how the objective of the Fund – to deliver environmental benefits to areas subject to the environmental costs of quarrying – can best be achieved, and suggests a number of options for discussion. They include:

• overcoming market barriers and promoting increased use of alternative materials as aggregates;
• funding research into more sustainable construction and demolition practices;
• promoting conservation and increased biodiversity;
• restoring the natural landscape;
• promoting environmentally friendly quarrying practices; and
• local community projects.

Responses to the consultation document are requested by 6 October 2000.