GRS has announced a new joint venture with Guildford-based firm Down To Earth Developments (DTE) to establish a quarry and inert waste disposal business in Surrey.

The partnership, named Alton Road Aggregates (ARA), sees both companies holding an equal 50% stake.

The venture will initially focus on a single quarry and waste facility located off Alton Road near Farnham. However, the partners have ambitious plans to expand the business, with potential sites already identified across Surrey and Hampshire.


This collaboration leverages DTE’s expertise in mineral extraction and land remediation alongside GRS’s extensive aggregates and waste trading network. The Alton Road site will supply sand to the local market and to GRS bagging plants west of London. Additionally, the facility will process inert demolition and excavation waste, using recovered materials for site restoration and landscaping.

With an expected operational lifespan of over a decade, the project aims to maximise the recycling of waste materials, diverting as much as possible from landfill. Non-recoverable materials will contribute to restoring the 36-hectare site.

Jon Fisher, GRS chief executive, said: "We have been working with the team at DTE for a while so forming a JV is a natural next step for both businesses. It gives us a foothold in this part of the South East and a strong platform for growth, with the potential to turn construction spoil into new aggregate in line with our vision to accelerate circularity in construction."