Sand and Gravel

Sand and gravel laid down in St Osyth by the old River Thames has long been exploited for building material. Martins Farm, The Priory Parklands, Wellwick Farm and the Colne Point Marshes have all seen commercial sand and gravel extraction. Much of the Colne Point sand and gravel was used build Fords Factory and houses in Dagenham.

Today most extraction has ceased and some of the quarries have been filled with household rubbish and sealed such as at Martins Farm. It is now open to the public as a Country Park with views over Flag Creek. However the rubbish below generates methane so this is collected and piped to a small on site gas powered generating plant.

Sand and gravel extraction may have finished the but giant steel framed loading conveyers still wait silently at Wellwick Wharf hoping for another barge to arrive and another unlikely lease of life.

At Wellwick Farm the former quarry awaits a new housing development and next door the Oaklands Holiday Park has remodelled the former quarry in a site for Holiday Homes.