The future of the Lafarge Tarmac cement works in Westbury has been thrown into doubt following an announcement of the sale of the site.
Westbury’s Lafarge Tarmac cement works ceased production in 2009 after more than 40 years. and for the past five years the plant and chimney have stood empty and derelict.
The future of the site has often been a source of speculation which has increased recently after it was announced that the site would be sold off as part of an asset sale from Lafarge Tarmac.
This has raised concerns from local environmental campaign group The Air That We Breathe Network.
Group chairman David Levy said, “Now the plant has been sold we will have to wait to see whether the new owners will want Westbury or will sell on. Lafarge Tarmac are now off the hook regarding restoration of the plant and quarry which will require a sizable amount of money to put right.
“Or perhaps the plant will become part of another sale and eventually to a company who will asset strip the buildings and kilns and then declare bankruptcy, leaving the community of Westbury with an unrestored plant and dangerous quarry.
“I personally blame Wiltshire County Council for swallowing the mothballed status from Lafarge Tarmac some six years ago, without an endgame package from Lafarge Tarmac to restore the plant and quarry. Now we have no stability of tenure and in fact the residents of Wiltshire could pick up the costs.”
A spokesman for Lafarge Tarmac said, “This year, Lafarge Tarmac intends to submit a planning application to demolish part of its former cement works at Westbury. The site will retain its railhead and distribution depot.
“The company is, however, in the process of being sold by its parent group Lafarge Tarmac, as part of their proposed merger with Holcim. We will update Wiltshire Council as soon as possible of our continuing strategy at Westbury, which is likely to be in the next few months.”
Following the Lafarge Tarmac – Holcim merger, the site is likely to become the property of Irish building materials producer CRH, who have bought over £4.8 billion worth of assets from the two companies.
Wiltshire Council had at one time proposed to incorporate a recycling centre into the plant, but its closure scuppered those plans.
