Having destroyed 31ha of ancient wood in 2013, quarry extension plans threaten at least another 41ha. Stand up for nature with us and help save Oaken Wood for good.
A staggering 41 hectares of irreplaceable ancient woodland is in danger if Hermitage Quarry expansion plans to go ahead. This would be the single largest loss this century, but we still have time to prevent it and save this irreplaceable habitat.
Thanks to over 25,000 of you voicing your concerns, Kent County Council was sent back to the drawing board over original plans in 2023. Now it's returned with no new ideas, just a plan to raze 41 hectares of precious ancient woodland. If approved, the loss of ancient woodland could be more than that of the Lower Thames Crossing and HS2 schemes combined. Please help save Oaken Wood by objecting to the plans.
The ancient woodland site under threat is Oaken Wood. It’s an irreplaceable ecosystem home to protected species including dormice, reptiles and bats.
The proposal doesn’t specify how much woodland it would impact, but our analysis suggests over 41 hectares would be lost. Even more would be exposed to long-term damage. The total area is equivalent to over 56 football pitches.
The wood has already suffered significant damage after a quarry extension in 2013 took away a vast 31 hectares of precious habitat. Now the wildlife that lives there could be pushed into an even smaller space.
Oaken Wood is a Plantation on Ancient Woodland Site (PAWS). These are ancient woods that have been felled and replanted, often with non-native trees. They’re still hugely important, with major ecological and cultural value. Oaken Wood is a chestnut coppice which has provided Kentish hop poles for generations.
Supporters of the quarry may say that the expansion is necessary to meet demand for Kentish ragstone which is used to restore old buildings. But only a small proportion of what’s quarried will be used in restoration - most will be ground up and used as general aggregate for construction. The protection of our natural world for wildlife, climate and people is equally, if not more, important.
They may also argue that they’re compensating for the loss by translocating ancient woodland soil. But there’s little evidence this works, and it will never make up for the devastation of 41+ hectares of irreplaceable habitat.
Kent County Council is running a public consultation on its draft plan until 11.59pm on 5 October 2026. This is our last chance to secure Oaken Wood’s removal from the plan. It’s our best hope of protecting the woodland for good.
You can submit an objection wherever you are in the UK – you do not have to live in Kent. It takes about 20 minutes and could make a huge difference for local people and wildlife.
We’re working with Kent Wildlife Trust to oppose this reckless proposal and prevent this needless, nationally significant loss of irreplaceable ancient woodland.
Please submit your own objection to help save Oaken Wood today. You don't need to be an expert to make an effective response. We've got all the details to help you write a focused objection that sticks to the facts.
The consultation is a ‘Regulation 19’ consultation. Regulation 19 consultations are only concerned with two criteria.
1. Is the plan legally compliant?
Does the plan align with Kent County Council’s other policies and does it comply with other legal requirements in national planning legislation?
2. Is the plan considered ‘sound’?
A plan must pass several tests to be ‘sound’. We think the site allocation of Oaken Wood fails these tests:
Appropriate - the plan should set out an appropriate strategy to enable sustainable development, considering reasonable alternatives, and be based on proportionate evidence.
Consistent with national policy – the plan should align with the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and other national guidance.
Only objections that address these two criteria will be considered. Asking for Oaken Wood to be removed from the Plan means we need to demonstrate that its inclusion is not legally compliant and/or not sound and to suggest an alternative solution.
Don’t worry, we’ve outlined the key issues below to help inform your response. It’s very important that you don’t copy and paste these. Your response will hold more weight if it’s individual and unique, so use this information and your own words.
I/we strongly object to the allocation of ‘Land to the South and West of Hermitage Quarry’ for the extraction of hard rock in the Kent Mineral Sites Plan due to the nationally significant and irreversible loss of ancient woodland that would occur as a result of the allocation.
The Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act (2006) sets out the requirement for every public body (such as councils) to have regard for the conservation of biodiversity. The Environment Act (2021) strengthens this. The allocation of Oaken Wood is inconsistent with these legal obligations.
The Environment Act 2021 makes Kent County Council responsible for implementing The Kent & Medway Local Nature Recovery Strategy (November 2025). The allocation of Oaken Wood directly contradicts the LNRS and undermines the purpose of the Act, which intends to reverse biodiversity decline.
The planning system is intended to help achieve sustainable development. The allocation permits a nationally significant loss of irreplaceable habitat for the temporary supply of hard rock, which we consider irresponsible and short-sighted. Such a decision would contradict the fundamental purpose of the planning system.
After a summer of record heatwaves and drought, the growing climate and biodiversity crises are impossible to ignore. It is completely unsustainable to prioritise the temporary extraction of hard rock over the retention of an irreplaceable habitat, which acts as a vital biodiversity refuge.
The Plan’s arguments regarding net carbon impacts fail to recognise the importance and significance of irreplaceable habitat. It would be inappropriate and unsustainable to reduce transport emissions by permanently destroying ancient woodland.
Section 2 of Policy N6 of the NPPF states that development plans which result in the loss or deterioration of ancient woodland should be refused unless there are ‘wholly exceptional reasons’ and ‘a suitable compensation strategy exists’. The allocation of Oaken Wood does not meet either requirement since:
the need for crushed hard rock for development is not wholly exceptional, nor is the need for building stone for the repair of heritage buildings.
the proposed compensation strategy - which partly relies on planting new woodland - is totally inadequate for the scale of loss.
the plan does not demonstrate that it would be possible to deliver a suitable compensation strategy. The Woodland Trust recommends a compensation planting ratio of 30:1, which would require 1,230 hectares of planting. For comparison, 1,574 hectares of new woodland was planted across all of England in April-September 20251.
Essential technicalities:
You need to state if you’re responding as an individual or as a representative of an organisation. Most people will respond as individuals.
You’ll need to state which part of the Plan you are referring to. The allocation of ‘Land to the South and West of Hermitage Quarry’ (Oaken Wood) is discussed in paragraph 3.19 and under Appendix 1 of the draft Kent Mineral Sites Plan.
Be clear about what you’re asking for and why. We want the site allocation 'Land to the South and West of Hermitage Quarry' (Oaken Wood) for the quarrying of hard rock removed from the draft Kent Mineral Sites Plan as the allocation is neither appropriate nor consistent with national policy. Its inclusion in the Plan therefore cannot be considered sound. Instead, I/we suggest a reconsult on alternative sites.
Be polite. Objections with inappropriate or offensive comments are discounted.
Stay on track. Remember, only legal compliance and soundness will be considered. Be specific about how the allocation of Oaken Wood fails these criteria.
The simplest way to submit your objection is to email mwlp@kent.gov.uk. Address your email to the Minerals and Waste Planning Policy team. It should state you are submitting a response to the public consultation on the Pre-Submission Draft Kent Mineral Sites Plan 2026.
Alternatively, you could post your objection to Minerals and Waste Planning Policy Team, Planning Applications Group, Sessions House, Maidstone, Kent ME14 1XQ.
Please be aware that any details you provide will be in the public record.
We’re supporting Kent Wildlife Trust’s Oaken Wood campaign. More advice is available on its Oaken Wood webpage.
Find full details of the consultation and further guidance on Kent County Council’s website, along with the supporting documents.
If you have further questions, please email campaigning@woodlandtrust.org.uk
Thank you for speaking up for ancient woodland. Your support really makes a difference.
After the consultation closes, the draft Mineral Sites Plan and all consultation responses will be examined by the Planning Inspectorate.
The exact timeline for the examination process varies, so keep an eye on our campaigns newsfeed and follow us on Facebook or Instagram for updates.
1. GOV.UK (2025) Forestry Commission Key Performance Indicators: Headline Performance Update at 30 September 2025 www.gov.uk/government/statistics/forestry-commission-key-performance-indicators-headline-performance-update-at-30-september-2025
