Save Oaken Wood: Have Your Say on the Hermitage Quarry Extension
A 49-hectare ancient woodland Oaken Wood near Barming, Maidstone Kent could be quarried away. You have until 10 September to say something about it.
Kent County Council is currently deciding where to allow large-scale quarrying for the next 15 years. One of the sites under consideration is land next to Hermitage Quarry in Aylesford — but all of that land is ancient woodland: a habitat that, once destroyed, can never be recreated. It took centuries to form and cannot be replanted or restored elsewhere.
This isn't a done deal yet. The Council is running a formal public consultation right now, and every comment submitted gets sent on to the government's independent planning inspector as part of the decision-making process. But the window is short — it closes at 11:59pm on Thursday 10 September 2026.
You don't need to be an expert to respond. We've put together a ready-to-use template letter, so you can send a considered objection in a couple of minutes.
Response options
How to respond — pick whichever is easiest for you:
📝 Edit and submit online
✅ Use the Council's official form — [Submit via the Representations Form] — this is the Council's preferred route.
⬇️ Download as a Word document — [Download the letter (.docx)] — for printing, editing offline, or emailing directly.
✉️ Email or post it yourself — Send to mwlp@kent.gov.uk, or post to: Minerals and Waste Planning Policy Team, Planning Applications Group, Sessions House, Maidstone, Kent, ME14 1XQ.
Regulation 19 – Pre-Submission Draft Kent Mineral Sites Plan July 2026
Land to the South and West of Hermitage Quarry, Aylesford Proposed Development: Extraction of hard rock of the Limestone Hythe Formation (Kentish Ragstone)
Aug 2026
Dear Sir/Madam,
I write to formally object to the proposed allocation of land to the South and West of Hermitage Quarry, Aylesford, as it is contrary to Paragraph 193 C. of the National Planning Policy Framework:
c) development resulting in the loss or deterioration of irreplaceable habitats (such as ancient woodland and ancient or veteran trees) should be refused, unless there are wholly exceptional reasons and a suitable compensation strategy exists.
Ragstone deposits are widespread in West Kent and the commercial and utility arguments for the proposed extension at Hermitage Quarry do not reach the high planning policy bar of “wholly exceptional reasons”.
The scale of destruction of irreplaceable habitat sought is unquestionably of national significance, and would amount to the single greatest loss of ancient woodland in the British Isles in a generation. In addition to the circa 49 hectares of woodland directly impacted by this proposal, the extent of disturbance, fragmentation and deterioration of irreplaceable habitat would also be exceptional and therefore unacceptable in planning policy terms.
In conclusion, planning policy now appropriately recognises the exceptional importance of irreplaceable habitats such as ancient woodland to our nation, heritage and biodiversity. This is why the historic attrition of ancient woodland in this country has now all but ceased.
Ragstone is found elsewhere in Kent, and in locations where no irreplaceable habitats survive. An alternative site for hard rock will come forward once a clear determination is reached that ancient Oaken Wood is fully protected from quarry extension plans
Yours faithfully,
Name:
Address:
