Dalmadilly Ponds

Dalmadilly Ponds were originally agricultural farmland. In 1993 work began on quarrying the land for sand and gravel aggregates and when extraction was completed the quarried area was allowed to flood naturally in accordance with the existing water table. The surrounding land has been restored to form a wildlife area for birds and a recreational area for walking and bird watching. This has been accomplished by the planting of hundreds of indigenous trees, formation of footpaths around both ponds and finally two substantial bird hides have been erected, one at each pond.

The bird hides are locked but keys can be collected from Susie Hunt at the adjacent Mill Farm or Mill Farm Studio. As a courtesy, please contact Susie prior to visiting the hides, to arrange a convenient time to collect the keys, her telephone numbers are Home: 01467 643569, Studio: 01467 642955, email: susiejhunt@icloud.com

Glyn Jones, Aggregate Industries Estates Manager, attended Kemnay Community Council meeting on 30 October 2008 to provide details of how Mill Farm would be restored to wildlife areas with bird hides.

Further reference information regarding planning applications for the mineral extraction are listed below along with dates of Kemnay Community Council meetings at which the applications were discussed. Archived minutes of Kemnay Community Council meetings can be viewed here:

Archived Kemnay Community Council minutes

Planning Application Submitted from 22/05/92 – 18/06/92 (discussed at KCC meeting on 25/06/92)
Planning Application reference number:2/92/0008, EXTRACT SAND & GRAVEL (DP -) at Mill Farm, Kemnay. John Fyfe Ltd. Access to site will be from the disused railway track.

Planning Application Submitted from 23/02/2001 – 22/03/2002 (discussed at KCC mtg. on 28/03/2002)
Planning Application reference number: 99/6000/2 EXTRACT SAND & GRAVEL on 2.69 ha. Site at Mill Farm, Dalmadilly, Kemnay (south east of Loanend Cottage). Excavations will be to a depth of 6 mtrs. Extracting a total of 72,000 tonnes over a one year period.

Planning Applications Submitted from 23/11/2004 – 21/01/2005 (KCC mtg. on 27/01/2005) Planning Application reference number: 2004/4280 MINERAL EXTRACTION at Mill Farm, Dalmadilly, Kemnay. Aggregate Industries UK Ltd., Bardon Hill, Coalville, Leicestershire

Planning Applications Submitted from 24/06/2006 – 22/09/2006 (KCC mtg. on 28/09/2006). Planning Application reference number: APP/2006/2783 EXTRACT SAND & GRAVEL at 3 Mill Farm Sandpit, Dalmadilly Kemnay. Aggregate Industries UKLtd., Bardon Hill, Coalville, Leicestershire Proposed extraction of 460,000 tonnes of minerals to depth of 12 metres over a six year period, lorry movements being 4 per hour. Restoration, surface regarded to 1.5 before spreading of 10,000 cub. mtrs of stored topsoil and restoration to agricultural. First photos below were taken 2016