Overview: unanswered questions
Purple Haze: why put a quarry here?
A new quarry, 'Purple Haze' is planned for Ringwood Forest, right on the Hampshire/Dorset border and adjacent to Moors Valley Country Park. Purple Haze is beautiful landscape of multiple habitats for a host of flora and fauna, some of which are rare or threatened species. It's a tranquil place providing a mix of forest, wetlands & heathland. Within and alongside the Purple Haze site are tracks much loved by local communities. All these tracks would be impacted negatively to a greater or lesser extent, should a quarry be allowed. As we'll explain, three areas – remote from Purple Haze – would also be drastically affected, restricting or even closing access by the local community. And that's not all, as we'll illustrate below.
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Where exactly is Purple Haze?
The Purple Haze site in relation to surrounding urban communities – with the Eastern part of Verwood / Ebblake a few hundred metres from Purple Haze
The overall Purple Haze site lies between the Ringwood-Verwood Road (B3081) and a sandy track which extends up from Moors Valley Country Park's 'Pine Avenue'. The park area is to the South of this track, extending down to Ashley Heath. The proposed quarry site is shown outlined in red. Three quarters of the site would be excavated which would involve clear-felling of presumably all trees in that area. Moors Valley Country Park's 'Through the Forest' bike track runs through Purple Haze and would be closed for much of the quarry's two decades or more of working.
What would a Purple Haze quarry involve?
The Purple Haze site is 117-acres (47-hectares). In simple terms, a Purple Haze quarry would progressively grow to be a hole in the ground, 20-metres deep in places, 300-metres long and up to 85-metres wide. Hampshire County Council (HCC) is allowing for an extraction of 8 million tonnes of sand and gravel over a period of 21 to 26 years. In addition to heavy plant involved in tree extraction, the quarry would – according to the quarry operator Grundon Sand & Gravel Ltd – involve trucks leaving or entering the site every seven minutes during a 12-hour working day!
What's happening now?
Developers have for years submitted planning applications to turn Purple Haze into a quarry. In 2023, Grundon submitted the planning application which is discussed on this website. We objected (as we have for decades) to quarrying development at Purple Haze. We and hundreds from the local community strongly objected to the continued allocation of Purple Haze as a potential quarry and as a potential landfill site for non-hazardous or inert waste. An amazing 11,619 visitors had visited this website within a few weeks of going on line – which is a measure of how strongly local people feel about Purple Haze.
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In early 2023, HCC published proposed updates for its existing Minerals & Waste Plan for Hampshire. The future of Purple Haze was impacted by this because among other things, the Plan specified sites to be allocated for sand & gravel extraction (and landfill in some cases) In Hampshire. Sadly, Purple Haze remained as one of these sites. As required by law, HCC conducted a Consultation which allowed interested parties to comment on the proposed updates to the Plan. Interested parties included the public, expert groups such as us and other environmental organisations, statutory bodies, consultants acting for the developer etc.
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​You can see how we responded to the Consultation here. Please look at the section from the Plan which references Purple Haze here. Please also see 'who objected' below. What followed was a process whereby HCC planning department analysed Consultation responses (in parallel with continuing to examine Grundon's planning application and engage with statutory bodies such as Natural England). Note that two inter-connected planning processes were/are now running in parallel. HCC's planning considerations for the Grundon application can be seen here.
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Following the Consultation, the process for finalising the plan escalated to government level and a Planning Inspector acting for the Secretary of State was appointed. He called a public hearing which was concluded mid February 2025. At the Hearing, we presented our case. Our objective was to have Purple Haze removed from the plan as an allocated quarry site. The next stage is for the Planning Inspector to examine the Plan, taking into account inputs from the Hearing and what is required of him by law – which can be viewed here – basically deciding if the updated Plan is compliant and sound.
What is inert waste? Inert waste is waste which is neither chemically nor biologically reactive and will not decompose or only very slowly. Examples of this are sand, clay, soil, chalk, concrete, demolition waste such as rubble but with minimal timber content. This waste has particular relevance to landfills as inert waste typically requires lower disposal fees than biodegradable or hazardous waste.
What is non-hazardous waste? Non-hazardous waste includes any rubbish or recycling materials that cause no harm to human or environmental health. This waste can be from business or household producers. This can include general household waste like paper, food, sanitary, bathroom rubbish and mixed recyclables (including glass), disposable vapes, bulky waste (skip loads), garden and grounds waste and business wastes including any that come from industrial or agricultural sources. It also includes healthcare wastes (including PPEs) that are soiled but pose no threat to human or environmental health. Non-hazardous waste can be offensive and typically attracts rodents and scavenging birds like seagulls. Non hazardous waste can be inflammable, sometimes where a fire is triggered by biological heating within the waste pile. The nearby Blue Haze landfill site operated by Veolia for HCC has suffered all the issues of offensive waste. The problem for Purple Haze, priceless natural habitats and community need no explanation.
Friends of Ringwood Forest: who are we and what do we stand for?
Forest between Ebblake Bog and Purple Haze
As an environmental group, our mission is to protect what is the beautiful area of trees and mixed heathland that is Ringwood Forest – an important part of which is now threatened by the proposed Purple Haze quarry. We have worked tirelessly for decades to keep the forest as it is – which is why we have put so much effort into resisting the quarry development with our 'Say NO to Purple Haze' campaign.
It has been a struggle, led by a dedicated few on a tiny budget, encouraged by thousands of supporters. Along with local councils and national environmental groups like Natural England and the Royal Society for Protection of Birds, we continue to fight Grundon's plan to extract million of tonnes of sand and gravel from this beautiful and peaceful place.
Read what we've achieved here.
What's the problem?
The plan to turn a wilderness like this . . .
The interior of Purple Haze where the Through the Forest bike track crosses over an area of wetland:
This illustrates part of the mixed habitat that's a tranquil and secluded environment for rare small reptiles, birds and flowers. The track is a perfect way for getting families close to nature without harming it.
. . . into a quarry like this . . .
How Purple Haze quarry workings could look (it would be worse than this). This photo is from a quarry nearby in Somerley, Ringwood Forest.
​. . . harming valuable nearby environmental treasures like this . . .
Ebblake Bog, a wetland environmentally protected area within Ringwood Forest.
Ebblake Bog is of such environmental importance that it is a site of special scientific interest (SSSI), protected by UK, EU and UNESCO directives. It is classed as a special protection area (SPA), a special area of conservation (SAC) and a Ramsar site (designated by a convention on wetlands of international importance, The bog is 520-metres from Purple Haze.
. . . disrupting your access to recreational and health activities . . .
The 'Wide Ride', a green lane that runs the width of the park and side-by-side with the proposed quarry excavation site.
. . . and blocking close-to-nature adventures.
A family enjoying the track that weaves through Purple Haze.
Where would your access to recreational areas get blocked ?
Information regarding when & where access would be closed due to quarry development is not clear, so the map and statement here can only be indicative. Some closures would be permanent like the existing bike track (a replacement track through Purple Haze would be built, it seems, a decade or two after quarry started). Other closures would be short-term (perhaps a year in some cases?) and variable such as required for tree-felling or for construction of the road across Wide Ride for truck and tractor access from the main road. Closure of the environmental offset areas (discussed below) may or may not be permanent. Before or following re-opening of the Wide Ride and Sandy Track after tree-felling, it is likely that restoration of deeply rutted surfaces would be necessary.
Heavy plant, people and animals don't mix do they?
Forestry operations in Moors Valley Country Park.
Comparison of existing site with excavated and restored sites (at highest point)
An indicative section at the highest point of the Purple Haze site.
The drawings are derived from data in the developer's 2023 restoration plan, thus indicating the profile of proposed landscaping. Proposed excavation depths appear to vary between 2 and 20 metres with an average depth, according to the developer, of 8.5-metres. This drawing shows a typical 1:2 gradient for the quarry edges which may vary for this development. The in-fill (shown in grey) is understood to be created from materials on site eg spoil, original topsoil, overburden and possibly vegetative matter.
The great outdoor escape
Ringwood Forest provides the great escape for people to chill out with their dog or keep fit. It's the perfect place for health activity groups: casual walkers, nordic walkers, runners, cyclists, horse riders. Of course a quarry wouldn't take this amenity away but it would make some areas that people love less accessible, less enjoyable, less peaceful. One more thing: the Purple Haze quarry development would escalate a problem that has angered the local population for years . . .
What else would be bad for the community? Traffic
The Ringwood-Verwood Road B3081 runs parallel to Purple Haze: already congested and dangerous without Purple Haze. With the quarry, it would be the feeder for heavy trucks and tractors to and from the quarry.
The developer estimates that Purple Haze truck movements would be 45 outward and 45 inward during an 11-hour working day. Thus, on average a Purple Haze heavy truck will use the B3081 every 7 (yes!) minutes. This may be an under-estimate because trucks or tractors will be out-going periodically to remove felled timber or waste and, at times, in-going with any materials needed on site. A 5-day traffic census in 2019, of total traffic on the road, showed 3,100 traffic movements per day (this includes heavy trucks serving other quarries and the local recycling plant). This adds up to a very congested, dangerous and noisy road. Yet Highways England responded to the planning application: 'We have no objection'.
Serious environmental impacts . . . what are they?
The blend of forest, heathland and wetland – and tranquility – of Purple Haze make it the perfect environment for a huge population of wildlife.
The mixed heathland section of the Purple Haze site (at the Western Ebblake end), which is a favoured nesting place for rare Nightjars and home to dozens of other protected species, is not scheduled for excavation. Yet it is to be 'converted' into a new habitat for wildlife displaced by Purple Haze quarry workings. More trees felled. Why not leave it alone?
Among the Purple Haze inhabitants: sand Lizards. © Stephen Bolwell. Please visit stephenbolwell.com for more great wildlife pictures.
The timid Nightjar. By kind permission of RSPB. ©RSPB
The Risk assessment page on this site illustrates just how seriously expert groups like Natural England, Environment Agency, RSPB and many others take the environmental risks presented by a Purple Haze quarry. Risks way beyond endangering reptiles and nightjars.
Environmental offsets: how do they impact on your access & recreation?
Environmental offsets are areas used to relocate species (animals or plants) as a mitigation to their home habitat being destroyed.
This would be the case with the Purple Haze quarry, should it be approved. Where necessary, the habitat in the offset area is converted such as to match the destroyed habitat (a task easier said than done). This generally means wholesale felling of trees. Typically, to allow development of the new habitat, the offset area is closed to the public. Relocating species in this case would mean catching small reptiles and mammals, then moving them before and during excavation works (also easier said than done). We don't think an excavator operator would be stopping to pick up a sand lizard or to avoid a badger set!
The two offset areas chosen for the Purple Haze quarry project, are Jack's Garden in Ashley Heath and 'Bakers Hanging', next to Watchmoor bike park at the North East corner of the park. For the former, it means closing a heavily-used recreational area at the centre of a large urban community. For the latter, it means destruction of a beautiful landscape.
Jack's Garden
Jack's Garden Ashley Heath: environmental offset area #1 (see map below). This would be closed, partially or fully, to public access.
Jack's Garden, adjacent to the busy Horton Road in Ashley Heath: the proposed environmental offset area #2
In the case of Jack's Garden, creating an environmental protection area within a wood criss-crossed with tracks and used extensively by hundreds of local residents walking dogs etc on a daily basis does not appear to be rational. It is not clear how much tree-felling would be involved but the proposal, it seems, would involve changing the habitat so as to be suitable for trans-locating wildlife from the Purple Haze site. It is also not clear if an offset area becomes a no-go zone for the public.
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The RSPB has expressed a number of concerns regarding offset areas . . .
'The Ashley Heath area is very close to houses and potential sources of disturbance, and the other site is long and thin with significant edge effects, such as [from] the long boundary with the main road. As these areas have also been proposed to provide alternative areas for recreation, we would question whether they will be able to manage the wildlife enhancement alongside additional recreational usage.' ​ 'We acknowledge that offset areas could mitigate for some of the impacts on wildlife within the site boundary, [but] we have several concerns over the sites proposed and the ability to recreate suitable heathland habitats'. 'Whilst we welcome the addition of two offset areas to deliver biodiversity offsetting, we can see little reference to Nightjar in the plans for these areas.' ​ 'We would also seek clarification that the off-site habitat will be provided prior to extraction, and that monitoring would take place to ensure their efficacy prior to works commencing on site.' ​ 'We have concerns about ongoing monitoring being left to site staff and not being carried out by trained ecologists'. ​ The HCC Ecology Team adds: 'The reptile mitigation strategy lacks sufficient detail on the methodology of translocation, including its timings in relation to phasing, and unclear on the phased location and preparation of receptor sites.'
Baker's Hanging
Baker's Hanging: proposed environmental offset area. # 1 (see map below), situated very close to Watchmoor Bike Park.
The Watchmoor Bike Park, right next to the proposed Baker's Hanging environmental offset area which would be closed, partially or fully for public access.
The adjacency of the proposed Baker's Hanging environmental offset area would impact the Watchmoor Bike Park. Why?
​The bike park is a vital resource for young people as an outlet for their energy, for learning skills and for making new friends. Such resources are rare. The Baker's Hanging wood is used by biking novices to develop their technique before tackling the challenging 'technical' jumps in Watchmoor. Extensive tree felling in Baker's Hanging would almost certainly mean short-term closure of the bike park for health & safety reasons. Kids may just go elsewhere for their fun and sport.
Environmental offset area locations
Who objected to the Purple Haze planning application?
In addition to extensive objection to the original planning application for Purple Haze quarry from Friends of Ringwood Forest and our supporters, there was considerable objection from important expert groups, some of which are listed below. Find out more here.
The consultation period when these objections were made was closed in 2023 but those objections in full can still be viewed here. (ref: 21/10459). A selection – by no means all – of key objectors is listed below.​ Their statements here relate specifically to the past planning application and NOT to the current consultation for HCC’s Partial Minerals & Waste Plan Update, which is the current issue. Statements are often just part of longer documents. Objections from these parties and others can be expected in due course. As explained above, the strength of feeling about Purple Haze has not diminished since – with 2,123 visitors to this site in the few weeks before the consultation ended.
'Dorset Council was not satisfied that the Environmental Impact Assessment provided robust evidence that all impacts have been identified and will be avoided or appropriately mitigated'.
For more information on the objection in 2023, click here.
Royal Society for Protection of Birds. 'We can not see sufficient information to confirm that the phasing of the works will maintain sufficient suitable habitat for Nightjar during the development of the site, nor do we believe that the mitigation proposed, particularly that provided by compensatory habitats, is adequate or properly assessed'.
What's the bottom line?
This website aims to explain the downsides of a Purple Haze quarry on the environment and community (there don't seem to be any upsides other than commercial or waste management ones). A common thread through multiple objections is that sufficient information has not been provided, despite the planning process having run since 2011. There are so many questions outstanding that it is difficult to predict what would actually happen were the quarry to go ahead.
After quarrying, Grundon Sand & Gravel Ltd say Purple Haze would get restored into a different but attractive landscape and a successful natural habitat. Such restoration isn't a forgone conclusion . . .
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Commercial reality and probability:
The quarry operator:
• demands max return on investment.
• needs max volume of sand extracted.
• has to restore quarry at own cost.
• has to maintain restored site.
• may abandon site because of poor sand quality
• may not meet obligation to restore site
Bottom line:
• certainty of disrupted recreational resources.
• certainty of reduced public access for decades.
• certainty of environmental impacts over decades.
• certainty of negative visual impacts.
• possibility of a wrecked habitat on site & elsewhere.
• possibility of site never being restored as planned.
• possibility of Purple Haze ending up as a landfill site.
• possibility of total denial of public access in several areas.
Such risks are a tangible commercial reality, especially in these turbulent times.
The only way to avoid this risk is to force a situation where, under no circumstances, ever, can Purple Haze be excavated.
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Common sense:
this isn't the place for a quarry!
Maybe the powers that be are beginning to agree with us.
Please keep watching this site for news.