In 1600, Oaken Wood was already an established English woodland; in 2026 Kent proposed quarrying...

Hermitage quarry beside Oaken Wood. Under the soil sits Kentish ragstone, which Kent county council says is crucial for the conservation of ancient buildings. In 1600, Oaken Wood near Maidstone was already an established English woodland; in 2026, Kent County Council proposed turning 41 hectares of it into a stone quarry, reports the Guardian.The Reform-led council voted this month to include the ancient woodland site in its updated Kent Mineral Sites Plan. The vote formally marks the hard rock under the forest floor as an essential supply of Kentish ragstone, opening the door for the nearby Hermitage Quarry to expand.Local campaign groups, wildlife charities, and councillors from Maidstone Borough Council are fighting the proposal. If central government approves the plan, the project will clear at least 41 hectares of a Plantation on Ancient Woodland Site (PAWS).Environmental groups point out that this single project would destroy more ancient woodland than building the HS2 rail line and the Lower Thames Crossing combined.Building stones versus living natureWorkers have dug up Kentish ragstone since Roman times, and builders used it to build Roman London. Kent County Council says ...