Those opposed to plans to extend a ragstone quarry into an area of ancient woodland are getting organised.

There will be a meeting next month to launch a new group called Friends of Oaken Wood which is dedicated to opposing a suggested expansion of the Gallagher Aggregates Hermitage Quarry, off Hermitage Lane in Barming.

The expansion of the quarry is proposed within KCC’s draft Waste and Minerals Plan for the period up to 2038.

Gallagher suggested a 96-hectare extension of their quarry in order to be able to quarry a further 20m tonnes of ragstone, the vast majority of which is destined to be ground down into roadstone for making highways.

However, at the end of last year, KCC put consideration of the Barming site on hold, and launched a new call for alternative locations, after receiving more than 26,000 objections.

The purpose of the forthcoming meeting – which will be held at St Andrew’s Church Hall, in St Andrew’s Road, Maidstone, on Tuesday, February 6 – is to discuss tactics in how best to oppose the quarry extension.

A committee of nine people has been set up to run the group as an unregistered charity. Maidstone Green Councillor Stuart Jeffery is the chairman.

He said: “We have set up the Friends of Oaken Wood to protect and promote this ancient woodland that is dear to so many of us.

“We hope people will join us to hear about the wood, our plans and why it is important to stop this becoming another quarry.”

Speakers on the night will include representatives from the Woodland Trust.

The meeting runs from 7pm to 9pm. If you are unable to attend that night, you can still sign up to the group, for free, by registering here.

The group says it already has 1,100 members.

For further information, email friendsofoakenwood@gmail.com

Gallagher maintains that the quarry extension will not harm the ancient woodland.

The valuable thing about ancient woodland is the quality of the soil, which has been undisturbed for at least 500 years. Gallagher says that although the woodland’s trees will be felled, the soil will be carefully preserved, and after the rock has been quarried and the void refilled with inert waste, the soil will be replaced on top and new trees planted.

This is the method they have been following on the existing quarry, which has already involved the loss of around one-third of the ancient woodland.

KCC now says it will make a final decision on its Waste Plan in 2025.