Hanson's Otley Quarry in West Yorkshire, UK has won the QPA's Cooper-Heyman Cup for quarry restoration

Nurturing nature at one of its worked out quarries has helped Hanson Aggregates to win a top UK restoration award. The company’s work at the Otley Quarry in West Yorkshire impressed the judging panel for the Quarry Product Association’s annual restoration awards and was presented with the Cooper-Heyman Cup for its efforts.

According to the judges, the former sand and gravel quarry has displayed leading practices on restoration for wildlife which went above and beyond the level expected by the planning authorities. The 13.7ha site has been restored to included a conservation lake, native woodland, scrub, reedbeds and grassland and since completion has become home to a colony of otters.

Otley Quarry, owned by Hnason, has won the Cooper-Heyman Cup for quarry restoration organised by the QPA.

Hanson’s award, along with other for restoration projects in the UK, was presented yesterday at a special QPA Showcase event designed to highlight the industry’s achievements. Other restoration awards presented included the Chairman’s Cup, which QPA chairman Lynda Thompson awarded to Eton Aggregates’ Dorney Lake development in Berkshire. The site – a joint venture between Cemex, Lafarge and Tarmac - has been restored as a rowing course – which will be used during the 2012 Olympics, a nature reserve and an arboretum.

Other sites singled out by the judges from the entries included Lafarge’s West Deeping Quarry, Ayton Products’ Lynford Pit, Tarmac’s Nosterfield Quarry, Aggregate Industries’ Bestwall Quarry, Grundon’s Frithe End Quarry and Cemex’s Haywards Farm site.

During the event QPA director general Simon van der Byl also said that the organisation planned to make further commitments to biodiversity over the coming 12 months with development of a new biodiversity strategy and other policies.