A SEVEN-year extension on a landfill site at Withnell Quarry has been granted by Lancashire County Councillors.

Bosses at the quarry landfill site applied to extend planning permission from December 2003 until December 2010.

The proposal was approved subject to conditions by the county council's development control sub-committee.

A report to the sub-committee, said the site had a long history of mineral working and planning permission was first granted in 1948.

Waste disposal at the site was first permitted in 1980.

In 1993, permission was granted for two million tonnes of minerals to be extracted and one million cubic metres of landfill. The work was to be completed and the site restored by December 2003.

The report went on: "The minerals extracted at the site are sandstone, used as a general bulk fill, and mudstone, which is used in brick manufacture.

"The waste deposited is from the commercial and industrial sectors in Blackburn, Chorley, Preston and Wigan.

"Landfill gas is extracted from the site and utilised in an adjacent power generator to produce electricity for distribution to the local network.

"The mineral reserve at this site was largely exhausted in supplying materials for the M65 and construction of the Reebok Stadium in Bolton, but there remains around two hectares of unworked land although further volumes of mudstone are held in stockpile."