About us
Operating times
Biodiversity
FAQs
News
Liaison group
Community support
Careers

Whatley quarry and nearby Westdown quarry, due to reopen in the second half of 2027, are vital sources of limestone aggregate used in construction.

The East Mendips has a long history in limestone extraction, from being used to build Georgian crescents in Bath, to supplying major infrastructure projects such as Hinkley Point C power station and HS2.

Today, limestone from this part of Somerset is considered a nationally significant aggregate resource – used to make ready-mixed concrete and precast concrete products, as well as asphalt for use in road maintenance and construction.

Whatley quarry is rail connected, enabling it to supply construction materials to London and the south east, where there are no natural supplies of limestone. Transporting material by rail helps to reduce HGV movements on the road network and reduce associated carbon emissions.

Once operational, Westdown quarry will focus on supplying local demand, with its proximity to local freight routes keeping HGVs away from local villages. 
We currently employ over 60 people at Whatley quarry, plus many more in our supply chain of contractors and support staff.  We are committed to being a good neighbour and actively support initiatives and programmes which benefit the local community including donations of time, money and materials. We also regularly host school and college visits.

Operations at Whatley quarry can be viewed from two public viewing platforms overlooking the quarry. Go to grid reference 51.231433, -2.401429 (what3words: nitrate.convey.tensions) and 51.227853, -2.4121243 (what3words: battle.cuddling.joggers).
 

About Whatley and Westdown:

Whatley quarry

Whatley quarry has been operating since the 1930s and supplies crushed limestone aggregate to local markets by road and to depots in London and the south east of England via its dedicated rail link.

Situated between the villages of Mells and Chantry, four miles west of Frome, Whatley is Heidelberg Materials UK’s biggest quarry, producing around six million tonnes of aggregate a year. There are also on-site plants for making asphalt and ready-mixed concrete.

Our operations can be viewed at two public viewing platforms overlooking the quarry. Go to grid reference 51.231433, -2.401429 (what3words: nitrate.convey.tensions) and 51.227853, -2.4121243 (what3words: battle.cuddling.joggers).

Westdown quarry

Westdown quarry lies to the west of Nunney, where there is evidence of quarrying going back 500 years. Westdown itself is thought to have started operations in the 1940s, supplying aggregate to support post-war reconstruction. By the 1970s, operations expanded to combine with Asham quarry next door and included a ready-mixed concrete and asphalt plant.

No activity has taken place since the 1980s however, planning permissions for Westdown quarry remained in place. In 2024 our application to update the existing planning consents ahead of reopening the quarry was conditionally approved at committee by Somerset Council (SC).  We have recently finalised the Section 106 legal agreement with the council and are now preparing the necessary management plans and licences to enable site preparation works to get underway, ahead of planned mineral extraction commencing in the second half of 2027.

For full details of Somerset Council’s Decision Notice on Westdown quarry are available here.   

Contact us

For all enquiries please email us at: whatley.quarry@uk.heidelbergmaterials.com 
Or 
Call: 0800 644 4234

Whatley quarry entrance what3words: pinches.proud.materials

Blasting

To sign up to receive our free blasting notifications, please email us at: whatley.quarry@uk.heidelbergmaterials.com and advise which method you would prefer to receive the notification; text (provide a mobile number) and/or email.

Suppliers

To request information about how to become a supplier, click here. 

Operating times

Whatley quarry is permitted to operate from 06:00 on Mondays until 13:00 on Saturdays, with the weighbridge closing at 11:00 on Saturdays. Maintenance work is permitted outside of these times.

The on-site asphalt plant has permissions to operate 24-hours a day, seven days a week. However, operations usually take place between 05:00 and 13:00, subject to demand.

The railhead at Whatley is permitted to operate 24/7. Where possible, we aim to load in daylight hours but the timing of trains are dictated by Network Rail. With passenger trains taking precedence over freight during the day, this means that the arrival and departure of trains at Whatley usually takes place during the night and early hours.

We expect that Westdown quarry will become operational in the second half of 2027.

Blasting

Our permissions at Whatley allow blasting to take place between 09:00 and 17:00 Monday to Friday and 09:00 to 12:00 on Saturdays.

We plan operations so that, wherever feasible, blasting is scheduled for Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at around midday.

To sign up to receive our free blasting notifications, please email us at: whatley.quarry@uk.heidelbergmaterials.com and advise which method you would prefer to receive the notification; text (provide a mobile number) and/or email.

Please see our privacy policy for details on how we manage personal data.

Biodiversity

Ecology work around our landholding at Whatley and Westdown quarries is guided by long-term plans to protect and enhance local habitats and species.

The areas provide a broad range of habitats, including woodland, grassland and hedgerows, which are home to a wide variety of flora and fauna, including lesser horseshoe bats, roe and muntjac deer, tawny owl and dormice. 

Formerly a mineral extraction site, Asham Wood, adjacent to the Bulls Green Link Road, is now the largest and most diverse semi-natural ancient woodland in the Mendips. The majority of it (140 ha) is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest and falls within the Mendip Woodlands Special Area of Conservation (SAC), recognising the quality of habitats and variety of species that the wood supports.

At Whatley quarry, we have created a 4.5-mile circular walk around the quarry and also maintain access to Vallis Vale, Egford Brook and Asham Wood via public footpaths.

Our overarching aim is to create a more sustainable landscape that is resilient to change while balancing the needs of local people, wildlife and the rivers that run through our landholding. More information about biodiversity is available in the FAQ section here.

To find out more about Heidelberg Materials UK’s commitment to biodiversity visit: heidelbergmaterials.co.uk/en/sustainability/2030-commitments/nature-positive

Site Biodiversity Action Plan - Whatley Quarry 668.67 KB

FAQs

Answers to the questions that are most frequently put to the Whatley and Westdown team about our current operations and future plans.

View the full list

Documents and reports 

View documentation relating to operations, monitoring and planning applications for both Whatley and Westdown quarries.

Open document library

Community news

Newsletter

The latest copy of our regular community update newsletter, delivered to around 2,000 homes near our Whatley and Westdown sites, can be downloaded here.

Issue 07 Summer 2026 1.28 MB

More news is available here

More news

Community liaison group

We are committed to open communication and hold regular community liaison meetings to discuss our operations and future thinking.

It meets quarterly and includes members from key stakeholder groups, including representatives from Somerset Council, Whatley & Chantry Parish Council, Nunney Parish Council and Mells and Vobster Parish Council among others.

If you represent a local group and would like to be considered for membership, please email us at: whatley.quarry@uk.heidelbergmaterials.com 

Minutes from the previous four meetings can be viewed below.

Whatley quarry liaison meeting minutes - 12 May 2026 1 MB Whatley quarry liaison meeting minutes - 20 January 2026 599.46 KB Whatley quarry liaison meeting minutes - 15 October 2025 509.94 KB Whatley quarry liaison meeting minutes - 15 July 2025 4.22 MB

Supporting the community

As a responsible operator, we want to play our part in supporting communities where we operate as well as protecting and enhancing the local environment. We regularly carry out a broad range of voluntary activities including road sweeping, litter picking and the collection and removal of fly-tipped rubbish.

We also welcome visits from schools, colleges, scouts, guides and other groups to our site, host open days and support various projects in the community where we operate.

In addition, local charities and community groups have benefitted from the donation of money, materials and time through our employee volunteering days.

Our approach is to prioritise support for initiatives:

  • Promoting education, skills and wellbeing
  • Protecting and/or enhancing the environment
  • Supporting biodiversity and sustainability
  • Promoting the community and heritage of the area

Assistance is prioritised to groups from within the BA11 postcode, particularly those based within a three-mile radius of Whatley and Westdown quarries. 

Request a donation

Click below to request a financial or materials donation or voluntary support. Please tell us about your group and/or project, what type of support you are seeking and how your project’s aims align with our priorities above.

Request a donation

Recent beneficiaries

  • Nunney Parish Council: donation towards the cost of renovating the playground
  • Mells Sports and Recreation Grounds: materials and laying of tennis courts
  • Great Elm Parish Council: donation towards repairs of village hall
  • Friends of Chantry: donation to upgrade lighting and purchase new seat cushions for community space
  • Tithe Barn, Mells: 2 tonnes of aggregate and 60 tonnes of asphalt to resurface car park entrance
     
Whatley Quarry

Careers and apprenticeships

Working at Heidelberg Materials is about being part of One Team.

Visit our careers website

We operate more than 300 manufacturing sites in the UK and employ over 4,000 people, offering a variety of careers and development opportunities. These include a wide range of roles from production workers, plant operatives, engineers, technicians and drivers to sales, IT, finance and HR managers.

Our graduate scheme for specialists in engineering, geology, marketing or a STEM related discipline, offers a structured two-year programme based in a variety of locations across the UK.

We also provide various apprenticeships, giving you the opportunity to earn while you learn and secure valuable industry qualifications.

These include our three-year higher apprenticeship programme, which offers the first steps towards a number of careers in our sector from site supervisors to quantity surveying, and others for roles such as plant operators and mechanical engineers.

Find out more about the range of opportunities we offer, view current vacancies and apply:

Visit our careers portal