Collaborative training programme helps strengthen understanding between the two organizations
TARMAC have welcomed more than 120 Environment Agency (EA) colleagues to Swinden Quarry over the past seven years as part of a collaborative training programme designed to strengthen understanding between the two organizations.
The latest visit, held in July, saw 40 representatives from Environment Agency teams across the north of England and the Midlands visit the site. Attendees included colleagues from groundwater protection, water resources, habitats, and national permitting services, providing an opportunity to gain a first-hand understanding of modern quarry operations and water management.
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Hosted by Tarmac’s Land and Natural Resources team alongside the Yorkshire Area Operations team, the programme has consistently received positive feedback, helping to build stronger relationships between Tarmac and the Environment Agency while supporting more informed decision-making.
The visit showcased Swinden Quarry’s highly automated, electrified and lower-carbon operations, demonstrating how the site operates responsibly within the environmentally sensitive Yorkshire Dales National Park. Quarry manager Lea Lambert and assistant quarry manager, Jeremy West highlighted the site’s sophisticated water-management and monitoring systems, which manage more than 1.5 million cubic metres of water every year while protecting the surrounding environment.
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The programme reflects Tarmac’s commitment to working collaboratively with regulators and stakeholders throughout the planning and operational process.
Craig Arditto, regional geological manager at Tarmac, said: ‘Whether operating within a national park or elsewhere, collaboration with regulators, stakeholders and local communities is fundamental to the way we work. Building trust and maintaining strong relationships is essential to delivering our operations responsibly and securing our long-term licence to operate.’
Ruth Buckley, operational lead for the Area Groundwater and Contaminated Land teams at the Environment Agency, added: ‘These visits are an ideal opportunity for colleagues to make the link between Tarmac’s processes and the Environment Agency’s regulations. By visiting site, they understand the scale and complexity of quarry operations and how water is managed. Then, when it comes to processing a permit or licence application, they can do so in an informed manner.’
The value of this collaborative approach has already been demonstrated through the successful planning approval to deepen Tarmac’s Leapers Wood limestone quarry by a further 90m to 37m below sea level. The application, which will unlock an additional 27 million tonnes of limestone, was approved earlier this year without objection from the Environment Agency. The officer responsible for assessing the application had previously attended the Swinden training visit and highlighted how the experience had helped build a clear understanding of the proposed scheme and its environmental mitigation measures.
Both organizations emphasized the importance of early engagement throughout the planning process, ensuring potential environmental impacts are fully understood, appropriate mitigation measures are developed and regulatory requirements are addressed efficiently. This collaborative approach also helps determine whether controls are best managed through the planning system or environmental permitting process.
Following the success of the programme at Swinden Quarry, the initiative is now being rolled out nationally through the Mineral Products Association, helping to strengthen collaboration and knowledge sharing across the wider minerals industry.
