Martells Quarry – Recycling Area Planning Application Validated

PDE recently submitted a planning application to Essex County Council on behalf of Sewells Reservoir Construction Limited (SRC) to allow for retrospective changes to the configuration of the recycling facility including, additional concrete hardstanding, concrete block bay walls and the importation and soaking of expanded clay.

Recycling activities have been undertaken at Martells Quarry for a number of years with permission granted by Essex County Council in 2006 for the operation of a facility for recycling solid, inert and commercial and industrial waste. This use was confirmed by Essex County Council through a Certificate of Lawful use or Development issued on 26 October 2018.

Over time as operations have continued to evolve at the Site improvements have been made to the recycling facilities which have altered their footprint, layout, plant and infrastructure which are sited and operated within the recycling area. These changes have triggered the need for a new planning application to be submitted to regularise the configuration of the site.

The application was validated by Essex County Council on 04 September 2025.

Should planning permission be granted it will enable the continued operation of the recycling facility in its current configuration allowing SRC to continue delivering valuable recycled aggregates to the local construction market. The addition of the soaking of expanded clay will also increase the product offering from the Site with the soaked clay used within the manufacture of lightweight concrete products.