Plans have been submitted seeking permission to re-open Redcraigs Quarry at Knockhill, with the operator proposing the removal of millions of tonnes of stone over a period of up to 40 years. The application, lodged as a scoping request to Fife Council by Collier Quarrying & Rec Ltd, sets out how extraction would be carried out and how the site would be restored at the end of operations.
Proposed scale and operations
Investigations accompanying the submission indicate there are around 4.8 million tonnes of quartz-dolerite within the area the company has identified for extraction. The proposal expects an average annual output of approximately 110,000 tonnes, which the applicant says could equate to roughly 22 vehicle movements entering and leaving the quarry on a typical working day.
| Item | Proposed figure |
|---|---|
| Estimated reserves | 4.8 million tonnes |
| Planned extraction over life | Up to 40 years |
| Average annual extraction | 110,000 tonnes |
| Daily HGV movements (approx.) | 22 |
How the company says it will work and restore the site
The applicant describes the working method as conventional for hard-rock quarries: material would be removed from the working face using tracked excavators, with mobile crushing plant operated within the void. Restoration is planned progressively as extraction phases are completed. Soil would be placed on berms and planted to limit visual impact, and at the end of extraction the void would be re-profiled and filled with inert soils before being planted.
“On completion of each extraction phase, progressive restoration of the side walls would be carried out from the top down placing soil onto the berms and planted in order that any visual impact would be limited.”
Once restored, the land is intended to form a sheltered area for livestock belonging to Lathalmond Farm, which surrounds much of the site. The company already operates Goathill Quarry, east of Crossgates.
Local impacts and next steps
The application is currently in the scoping stage, which means Fife Council’s planning service will determine what information is needed before a full planning application is lodged and considered. Local residents, farmers and road users are likely to be attentive to issues including traffic, dust, noise and the long-term visual and ecological effects of quarrying and subsequent restoration.
- Planned average extraction: 110,000 tonnes per year
- Estimated quarry life: up to 40 years
- Vehicle movements expected: c. 22 per working day
Fife Council will issue a ruling on the scoping request in due course and any future full planning application would trigger public consultation and statutory environmental assessments as required. Neighbouring communities and councils will be able to respond during those consultations.
The site sits a few miles north of Dunfermline and close to Knockhill; its development would therefore be of interest to residents and businesses across the west Fife area. I will monitor the council’s planning portal and provide updates as the application progresses through the statutory process.
