IQ Scottish Branch - Westfield OCCS Restoration and Repurposing with Phillip Rayson, Hargreaves Land
17:30
Stirling Court Hotel, University of Stirling, Airthrey Road, Stirling, FK9 4LA
Description
Westfield which has often been described as the largest opencast mine in the UK, operated on the site of the former Kirkness Colliery and commenced operations in 1955 with coal production from 1956. It was originally operated by Costain Mining on behalf of the National Coal Board Opencast Executive.
Between 1961 and 1985 Costain Mining excavated 34,500,000 tonnes of coal from Westfield leaving large voids behind and creating a new hill to the south of the site. Hargreaves acquired the site in 2013, after its former owners Scottish Coal were placed into liquidation and have been working to redevelop the area as an industrial and business park, benefiting from various sources of green energy production.
In addition, legacy mine water pollution issues will be remediated along with the restoration of the residual parts of the site, using green waste compost and sewage sludges originating from within Fife to create a soil making material, a perfect example of the circular economy in action.
Phil Rayson, Regional Director, Hargreaves Land is a Chartered Minerals Surveyor and a longstanding member of the Institute of Quarrying, with over twenty-five years of experience in surface coal mining; quarrying; waste management and brownfield land remediation, specialising in development planning and environmental impact assessment. This is a joint meeting with the IOM3.
Please note that this page is for face-to-face attendance only.