Monday April 21st 2025
The entrance to Quarry Soutra Mains.
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Paul Kelly
A new asphalt plant at a quarry in a Borders village will pave the way for ten new jobs, it has emerged.
Proposals have been submitted for installation and operation of the plant at Quarry Soutra Mains Farm at Blackshiels in Oxton.
The proposed development area is on previously disturbed quarry land that is currently used for mineral processing, stocking and parking.
The asphalt plant is described as a “significant investment” and the materials used would help surface roads across the Borders.
A report with the application states: “The plant will be ancillary to the operations already carried out at the quarry, utilising crushed rock aggregate as the primary raw material input.
“The materials produced will be used in the surfacing of roads, pavements and car parks etc. This will include opportunities to supply Scottish Borders Council and the Trunk Road Network.
“The proposal represents a significant investment by the Hillhouse Quarry Group Limited in a regionally important quarry and an important local employer that currently supplies aggregates, ready mixed concrete and concrete blocks.
“An additional ten jobs will be created through the proposed development across a range of operations, haulage and contractor positions.”
The proposed plant will use the existing quarry access off the B6368, located approximately 150m from the A68 Trunk Road
The report adds: “It will be necessary supply materials outside of the routine operating hours.
“This will be to respond to maintenance requirements such as evening road works undertaken on behalf of Scottish Borders Council, or projects that are undertaken at night to minimise wider disruption, such as works on the Trunk Road Network.
“The plant would produce in the order of 150,000 tonnes of material per annum equating to around 30 loads per day.”
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