Description: 

Batts Combe is large carboniferous limestone quarry located to the north of the village of Cheddar in Somerset. It lies on the south slopes of the Mendip Hills just on the border of the Mendip Hills area of outstanding natural beauty (AONB). The excavation area covers around 60ha and is set in a total landholding of 180ha To the west lies The Perch SSSI and to the east the site is bordered with pasture, woodland and scrub-encroached grassland. There is evidence of extraction here dating back to the early 1900s, although large scale quarrying did not begin until 1947 when planning permission for the bulk of the site was granted, with a further 12ha planned in 1961.

Habitat, flora & fauna description: 

The Perch SSSI lies within 500m of the quarry excavation. It is designated due to its calcareous grassland, woodland and notable species including the lesser and greater horseshoe bat, dormice and Cheddar pink. The Cheddar Complex SSSI is also within 500m of the quarry landholding.

Ongoing nature projects:

  • Large amounts of scrub are being cleared to favour grassland habitats
  • Woodland management and planting has been carried out to favour dormice and a reduction of non-native nurse tree species.