Gondolin’s Civil Engineers have significant experience in designing ‘borrow pits' for aggregate extraction, processing, and utilization on development sites. This expertise is predominantly applied within the Onshore Renewables & Storage Sector to facilitate the advancement of windfarm and battery storage sites.
The Purpose of Borrow Pits
The term 'borrow pits' pertains to miniature quarries and encompasses the extraction and processing of minerals/rocks for use directly on development sites. These features are customary components in onshore renewable projects, enabling the creation of access tracks, hardstandings, and construction compounds.
Especially in Scotland, where numerous onshore renewable initiatives are situated in rural, upland, or remote areas, sourcing and processing rock on-site for construction proves notably more cost-effective than importing materials.
Following the extraction of the necessary rock volume from the borrow pits, restoration typically involves utilizing surplus soil cleared from the broader development, allowing for revegetation or planting..
Identifying Suitable Borrow Pit Locations
Our team primarily aids developers during the Feasibility and Planning Application stages. Here, we assess topographic surveys, spatial data, proximity to receptors, and conduct various fieldwork to pinpoint potential borrow pit locations on-site (including Peat Probing, Hydrological surveys, and in-situ rock sampling).
Determining the most suitable borrow pit locations relies on a blend of topography, topsoil depth, positioning on-site to facilitate smooth construction, proximity to receptors, and, naturally, the rock's characteristics.
Subsequently, our qualified Geologists and Civil Engineers calculate soil stripping and rock extraction volumes. These figures inform the design and layout of development infrastructure (such as roads, compounds, and hardstandings) and yield an engineered 3D design for the borrow pit.
Additionally, we design the SuDS/drainage system for the borrow pit to ensure effective drainage, fostering a dry work area that optimizes rock extraction and safeguards the water environment.
The development's rock demand, topsoil depths, and rock nature dictate the size, shape, and design of the borrow pit. In more extensive projects, multiple pits may be necessary in various locations to streamline site construction and minimize haulage distances.
Borrow Pit Design: Supporting all Stages of Development
Gondolin Land & Water possesses the capacity to support projects across all stages of development. We aid in identifying suitable borrow pit locations, managing site investigations and report interpretation, characterizing rock/mineral types, evaluating suitability, extraction methods, and processing requisites. Our services also encompass offering estimates of mineral extraction volumes, furnishing design drawings featuring cross sections and layout, along with devising water management plans.
Our inputs are typically provided at Planning Application and Environmental Impact Assessment stages and can also support clients at the detailed design / construction phases.
For further information on how we can facilitate your development, please reach out using the form below, or visit the Contact Us page for contact details.