Fairyhills Sand & Gravel Quarry

Proposed Reopening of Quarry, with Land Reinstatement

Drop in Consultation Event
Forres House Community Centre
3.15 - 4.45pm and 5.45 - 7.15pm
Tuesday 2nd June 2026

Altyre Estate intends to submit a planning application for the proposed re-opening of the Fairyhills Sand & Gravel Quarry to the south west of Forres. Under the initial planning permission, 250,000 tonnes of material was removed. The re-opening allows for the removal of the remaining 500,000 tonnes of sand and gravel, with land reinstatement.

This engagement event is one of two that are required, as the planning application falls within the "Major" category (in this case, as the site extraction area covers more than 2 hectares). This first event seeks feedback on the proposals from local people. Comments will be fully considered by the applicant.

A second event will be held on Tuesday 30th June, where the final application proposals will be presented.

Responses will be fully considered but are not representations to the Council. If the planning application is submitted, there will be an opportunity to make representations on that application to the Council.

Please give us your comments at the event, or email: office@altyre.com

APPLICATION PROPOSALS

The quarry operations will follow the same methods established during the initial period of operation. Extraction of sand and gravel will take place, with material graded and stored temporarily on site. There will be mo processing, such as crushing or breaking of stone on site - this will be undertaken at other exisiting facilities owned and managed by the operator, Pat Munro Ltd.

The existing quarry access road in conjunction will be brought back into active use. The weigh bridge will reinstated and a small temporary site office brought in. Dedicated temporary parking areas will be provided for cars, bicycles and plant.

Extraction will proceed in a phased plan, working from the north east towards the south. Land will be reinstated as the extraction process proceeds, providing new woodland and ground cover.

An operational Management Plan will incorporate measures to control noise and dust from plant and extraction activities.

REINSTATEMENT AND HABITAT

Reinstatement will be managed as the extraction process proceeds, providing new woodland and ground cover. The focus will be on natural regeneration, with supplementary planting as required. Existing paths will provide access for local people and visitors around the site.

Habitat surveys have been undertaken in support of the planning application. These include plant, bird and reptile surveys. The surveys indicate a need to mitigate some potential impacts, such as protection of sand martin nesting sites. Measures to enhance the contribution of the site to biodiversity and the wider habitat are suggested.

The site lies within a much wider area of land mapped as Ancient Woodland - Long-established of Plantation Origin. However, there are limited signs of key Ancient Woodland indicator species. Reinstatement proposals will need to be agreed with Scottish Forestry and Nature Scot, both of which have provided initial guidance on requirements.

National Planning Framework 4 sets out policy on Biodiversity and the Council has also provided Biodiversity Guidance for Planning Applications. The final application proposals will take full account of these documents.

THE FAIRYHILLS QUARRY SITE

Planning permission (ref. 09/02390/MIN) was granted for the establishment of a sand and gravel quarry at Fairyhills, on Altyre Estate, in July 2012. The planning premission initiated a 10 year operational period. One third of the material was extracted during this period.

After a period of inactivity, it is now proposed that the quarry should be reopened.

The site lies to the south west of Forres, to the east of the A940 Grantown Road. A new juction was formed at the A940 when the quarry opened. A track leads to the quarry site, which covers an area approximately 5 hectares, within a much wider area of woodland. There are recreational paths around the site, used by local people as leisure routes and for dog walking.

The north western part of the site, where material has already been extracted, is generally flat. The remainder of the site is indulating, with some steeper areas. There has been some natural regeneration of young trees and scrub around this area and there is more estabished growth on the remainder of the site.