The report by Groundtech that forms part of the current planning application (Biogenia Ground Conditions Part 1) contains definitive evidence of the environmental damage carried out with the aim of destroying Wicklesham’s protected habitat and species. It records a depth of 3 METRES of ‘made ground’ yards from the pond at the west end of the quarry. At the same location groundwater was encountered 2.9 metres below the present ground surface, i.e., at the original ground level, proving beyond any doubt that the pond itself was filled in, as we reported in 2017. Furthermore, what the applicants claim are areas of “impeded drainage” are, Groundtech state, an “underground river” or aquifer that flows though the underlying gravels close to the original ground level. Imported soil mixed with the original topsoil bunds was used to create a fertile base for agriculture. It was supposed to be one metre deep, and the two ponds (1 & 4) were to be preserved in the Restoration Scheme. Instead they were trashed and filled in. (Pond 1 is shown above in April 2016, before it was trashed.)

In spite of this destruction, recent County Council Monitoring Reports show that other water bodies have formed: the quarry remains a sustainable habitat for its European Protected Species. This fact, supported by the Council's ecology report, is an important ground for OBJECTING to the current planning application. The ecology of Wicklesham Quarry has withstood crude attempts to destroy it and must be protected in accordance with Policy M10. The quarry’s natural environment, ground water and aquifer, remain important features for sustaining its biodiversity.

We urge supporters to OBJECT on the grounds indicated in bold below.

Policy M10 ‘Restoration of mineral workings’ of the Minerals and Waste Core Strategy states:

“Mineral workings shall be restored to a high standard and in a timely and phased manner to an after-use that is appropriate to the location and delivers a net gain in biodiversity. The restoration and after-use of mineral workings must take into account:

• the characteristics of the site prior to mineral working;
• the character of the surrounding landscape and the enhancement of local landscape character;
• the amenity of local communities, including opportunities to enhance green infrastructure provision and provide for local amenity uses and recreation;
• the capacity of the local transport network;
• the quality of any agricultural land affected, including the restoration of best and most versatile agricultural land; 
• the conservation of soil resources
• flood risk and opportunities for increased flood storage capacity;
• the impacts on flooding and water quality of any use of imported material in the proposed restoration;
• bird strike risk and aviation safety;
• any environmental enhancement objectives for the area;
• the conservation and enhancement of biodiversity appropriate to the local area, supporting the establishment of a coherent and resilient ecological network through the landscape-scale creation of priority habitat;
• the conservation and enhancement of geodiversity;
• the conservation and enhancement of the historic environment; and
• consultation with local communities on options for after-use.

Planning permission will not be granted for mineral working unless satisfactory proposals have been made for the restoration, aftercare and after-use of the site, including where necessary the means of securing them in the longer term. Proposals for restoration must not be likely to lead to any increase in recreational pressure on a Special Area of Conservation.

PLEASE CITE THIS POLICY AND RELEVANT CLAUSES ABOVE IN YOUR OBJECTION.

Wicklesham’s naturalised ponds and biodiversity, including Great Crested Newts, a European Protected Species, have long been an inconvenient fact for the landowner. In 2009  - eight years before the introduction of any ‘made ground’– the applicant (landowner) wrote a ‘Justification’* for turning Wicklesham Quarry into an industrial estate, which refers to the “high water table”, and states “The pond at the western end of the quarry will be filled in”. It states: “groundwater was encountered at depths between 0.25m and 1.35m below existing ground level, subsequent site visits have confirmed these levels with little or no variation.”

This ‘Justification’ together with the recent Groundtech report demonstrate that

1. gravel extraction had finished before 2009- prevented by the presence of ground water, and the 'underground' river or aquifer, which was at ground level
2.  Wicklesham’s naturalised ponds were fed by groundwater (not drainage), & 
3. they were deliberately filled in by a huge depth of imported material.

Groundtech’s measurements are furthermore consistent with the 2013 ecology report by Enzygo Ltd- before any so-called restoration had been carried out. At the west end of the quarry Pond (4) held a metre depth of water, and Pond 1 (above, near the centre) was 300mm deep in 2013. Both were fed by groundwater.

The current planning application claims - with consummate hypocrisy - that the applicant himself "excavated" the ponds as part of the restoration! It states: “as pond basins have remained dry for several years this has rendered the proposed development site unsuitable for the maintenance of a viable breeding Great Crested Newt population.” It is abundantly clear that the ponds were in existence before 2009 and their naturalised habitat and species matured over at least eight years. The applicants’ claim that Wicklesham was until recently “a working quarry” - like the fake photograph on the cover of the Oxford Geological Trust’s Report - are- like so many other claims by the applicants- demonstrably false. You can read a few of the earlier updates on the destruction of the ponds here:

https://www.change.org/p/the-vale-of-white-horse-district-council-and-secretary-of-state-michael-gove-protect-wicklesham-quarry-from-development/u/22944383

https://www.change.org/p/the-vale-of-white-horse-district-council-and-secretary-of-state-michael-gove-protect-wicklesham-quarry-from-development/u/24538708

https://www.change.org/p/the-vale-of-white-horse-district-council-and-secretary-of-state-michael-gove-protect-wicklesham-quarry-from-development/u/24500652

We constructed a timeline of events using monitoring reports, photographs, letters and records of meetings (obtained through FOI Requests to Oxfordshire County Council). 

In 2016, the landowner’s agent requested a meeting with County Council Officers in order to persuade them to let the landowner off the planning conditions to restore the quarry. Andrew Brown of Marriott assured them that Faringdon Neighbourhood Plan would soon be adopted, and it would give his client (presumed) permission to build in the quarry. Andrew Brown was at that time a member of the Employment Land Group of Faringdon Neighbourhood Plan.

County Council Officers turned down this ‘request’. Within weeks of this meeting Pond 1 had been trashed.

The damage, photographed by the Monitoring Officer in October 2016, was carried out under the radar of Natural England. No application had been made for a Mitigation Licence. You can see the beautiful pond, with trees and water lilies, as it was in April 2016, above. By October it was an unrecognizable patch of dry scrub. In December 2016 Oxfordshire County Council served a Breach of Conditions Notice against the landowner for failure to carry out planning conditions for the quarry’s restoration. But the County Council failed to prevent the vandalism that was carried out, and failed to ensure it was put right. Instead, they tried to cover it up. 

The environmental damage, the 2009 ‘Justification’ and Faringdon neighbourhood plan itself - were  part of a ten year campaign to convince people (and local planning authorities) that turning the town’s SSSI into an industrial estate was a good idea, while claiming it was a ‘brownfield site’- a false claim repeated in the neighbourhood plan’s Basic Conditions Statement. False claims are STILL being made in this planning application.

WICKLESHAM SUPPORTERS ! This could be our LAST CHANCE.

SPEAK OUT NOW for THE CONSERVATION of Wicklesham Quarry’s rare and protected habitat and species- before it's too late.

OBJECT TO THE PLANNING APPLICATION for a 33,000 sq m commercial/ industrial development on the grounds of conflict with Policy M10, cited above.

POINT OUT THE EVIDENCE OF THE GROUNDTECH REPORT that Wicklesham’s ponds were FILLED IN – as we have always said.

REBUT THE APPLICANTS’ FAKE CLAIMS about Wicklesham Quarry’s history and well-established naturalised habitat BEFORE 2013- USING THE EVIDENCE DESCRIBED ABOVE.

If you would like to read the 2009 ‘Justification’ by Mr Allen-Stevens, or the 2013 Enzygo Report (with photos), or have any comments or queries, please drop me an email to protectwicklesham@gmail.com and I will send them to you.

The planning consultation is open until 10th October. You can make your comments online here: https://myeplanning.oxfordshire.gov.uk/Planning/Comment/MW.0151/23/ Or by email to planning@oxfordshire.gov.uk

* “Wicklesham Quarry Justification and supporting evidence for its inclusion in the Vale of White Horse Local Development Framework.”      Feb. 2009.  Tom Allen-Stevens