Building Stones

Geckoella’s specialists have 10 years’ experience of working with national bodies and local authorities on building stones and the built heritage, including evaluating former ‘Heritage’ quarry sites, undertaking specific stone type analysis, establishing alternative stone sources and advising on Mineral Safeguarding Areas and building stone policies in Local Mineral Plans. We have also been the main geological consultant working with Historic England on the Strategic Stone Study (a national survey of building stone types, their uses, and sources) for many county areas across England.

The opening of our new geological workshop facilities at East Quay, Watchet in Spring 2021, further enhanced and extended the range of building stone services we offer clients.

The building stone and built heritage services we offer include:

  • Survey, assessment and evaluation of former (‘Heritage’) and existing quarry sites for building stone resources
  • Survey and assessment of stone use in historic, vernacular and modern built structures (including listed structures, Scheduled Ancient Monuments etc)
  • Building stone matching service, petrographic analysis (including thin sections, carbonate acetate peels, weathering features, textures, cement diagenesis) and stone composition (covering all sedimentary, igneous, metamorphic and volcaniclastic rock types)
  • Compilation and assessment of stone technical data reports (including stone strength, durability, porosity, abrasion and slip resistance)
  • Identification and investigation of former quarry sources for building stones and evaluation of substitute source locations
  • Provision of building stone and built heritage evaluation reports for planning purposes
  • Provision of data and evidence for development of building stone policies in Local Mineral Plans
  • Identification of boundaries of building stone Mineral Safeguarding Areas for Local Authority plans
  • Preparing Listed Building Consent Applications, Design and Access Statements, Heritage Statements and Heritage Management Plans
  • Provision of Proof of Evidence and Expert Witness for Hearings and Public Inquiries relating to building stone resources, sites and uses