Brice Aggregates: The UK’s largest quarry-to-reedbed restoration project

We go behind the scenes at Brice Aggregates’ quarries. From the heart of Cambridgeshire and Essex, Brice Aggregates supply top-quality aggregates and ready-mix concrete to the surrounding regions, backed by state-of-the-art Liebherr equipment.

Brice Aggregates is an independent producer and supplier of high quality construction materials and services to London and the Eastern Region. The business produces quality primary aggregates & readymix concrete from their quarries based in Cambridgeshire and Essex. Materials are supplied by our in house haulage fleet across the region. 

Now a three-decade long project to transform one of their quarries into a wetland nature haven, is on course to reach its lofty ambitions and support threatened wildlife. This huge project to create one of the biggest reedbeds in the UK was started in 2001 and will see RSPB Ouse Fen nature reserve, north of Cambridge, grow to the size of nearly 980 football pitches by the end of the project. 

In the last 20 years the site has become important for reedbed wildlife and has seen rare species such as the secretive Bittern, known for its loud ‘booming’ song during breeding season, Marsh Harrier and Bearded Tit move in to the newly created reedbed, as well as providing a home for Otters, Water Voles and 22 different species of dragonfly. 

More than half complete, this thriving new wetland is being carefully created by the phased restoration of Needingworth Quarry. Sand and gravel from the quarry is extracted for use by the construction industry. Brice Aggregates, is gradually handing the restored wetland over to the RSPB which will manage it as a haven for wetland wildlife to shelter, breed and feed in. In total, so far 16 million tonnes of aggregates have been quarried from the site to make way for wetland habitat. 

Local people have donated thousands of hours volunteering – putting on their wellies to wade in the water and hand-plant reeds, while residents of nearby villages have used their local knowledge to map and promote circular walks to the site where they can connect with nature.   

Eventually when the project is fully complete, Ouse Fen along with its neighbouring RSPB nature reserves; Fen Drayton Lakes and the Ouse Washes, will form a near continuous 3,000ha wetland habitat – around half the size of Ely. 

The Brice Family have a long history of involvement in mineral extraction and quarry restoration projects in Essex stretching back to the 1980s. Most recently, the successful promotion of Colemans Quarry in the Essex Minerals Local plan led to the creation of Brice Aggregates Limited in 2013 to pursue the development of the high quality mineral reserve. The business commenced operations in 2017 providing a much needed, new supply of quality sand and gravel into the East Anglian and London markets. 

Being a new entrant into what has been an industry traditionally dominated by a small handful of incumbent players, Brice Aggregates are able to offer the benefit of a fresh perspective. The business is actively and continuously expanding into new activities with the objective of providing an integrated “one stop shop” for material supply and construction services throughout the Eastern Region.

To find out more about Brice Aggregates, please visit: https://www.briceaggregates.co.uk/    

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