DEFRA showcase for quarry restoration schemes.
Pode Hall Quarry was previously used for sand and gravel extraction and is situated near the village of Thorney in Cambridgeshire. The contract was for the restoration of the area to pasture land.
The works consisted of the provision of clay seals to prevent the ingress of water from the surrounding gravel layers. This involved the excavation and sorting of various soil stockpiles to provide a three layer system (lower, upper and top soil).
Works were constantly interrupted due to the ingress of water from underlying gravel pockets. In addition, the stockpiled soil was not always at a suitable moisture content for incorporation into the works due to the time of year and daily rainfall.
The works were completed to the full satisfaction of DEFRA who have subsequently used the site as a show-case for quarry restoration schemes.
