About Stanborough Gravel Pits
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Stanborough Gravel Pits is an active sand and gravel quarry coming to the end of the extraction period with restoration work currently underway. It forms part of the wider Hatfield Quarry operational since the 1950s and managed by Cemex Ltd.
Permission to extract sand and gravel at Stanborough was first granted in 2003 and since that time the site has undergone huge landscape changes from its original agricultural usage. The quarrying activities have meant many pits being created that in turn become lakes with marginal, scrub and grassland forming where they have been left for a while. Together with the surrounding farmland and woodland the whole site has proved a rich habitat for birds and other wildlife. The activities of the quarry have meant that these habitats have also been in constant transition from tracts of bare gravel with open water to large areas of rough grass and scrub. With restoration work well underway much of the landscape has once again been levelled with scrub and grassland areas removed in order to reclaim areas for agriculture. Sadly this has meant a considerable loss of formerly rich habitat but it remains to be seen how exactly the site will be left and how much will be suitable for farming. Water is a big part of the site with lakes and pools forming quickly after rain from run-off across the site. These areas of water then remain for most of the year only really almost drying up in the height of summer. This holds out hope that the site may retain some of its value for wildlife and to date (end of 2023) good birds are still visiting and frequenting the site. |
A view over the pits in June 2022 (above) before restoration work had begun and scrub and grassland areas were still in tact. By October 2023, the bulldozer has made light work of removing the last of the scrub and grass areas bordering the main pit (below).
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Accessing the site
Access to the site is via the central track - a public right of way - that runs from Coopers Green Lane to the south to Symondshyde Farm to the north. There is very limited parking on Great Braitch Lane off Coopers Green Lane and opposite the start of the track. More parking is available along Symondshyde Lane to the north and the public track can then be picked up through Symondshyde Farm. Good views of the whole site can be had from the track.
A word about the weather!
Stanborough GPs is a wide open space and consequently, regardless of the weather elsewhere, is often an exposed and windy place! Wrap up warm and expect coastal conditions! Here's a typical March day: