In 1600, Oaken Wood was already an established English woodland; in 2026 Kent proposed quarrying...

Kent County Council voted to include 41 hectares of Oaken Wood, an ancient woodland, in its Kent Mineral Sites Plan for stone quarrying.

The plan would expand Hermitage Quarry to extract Kentish ragstone, which is used to repair historic buildings like Canterbury Cathedral and the Tower of London.

Oaken Wood is a Local Wildlife Site with at least 26 rare plant species and habitats for red-listed birds such as nightingales and nightjars.

Environmental groups claim the project would destroy more ancient woodland than the HS2 rail line and Lower Thames Crossing combined.

A public consultation will determine the plan's future, balancing the need for building stone against irreversible damage to the ecosystem.