CONTROVERSIAL plans to extend a Ribble Valley quarry have been approved, despite fears over the number of lorries using the site.

County councillors gave the go-ahead to allow quarrying until 2007 and to extend the site at Waddington Fell Quarry. However, they agreed to tighten up the times for lorries leaving and entering the site.

County Councillor Chris Holtom, who represents Ribble Valley South West, put forward the condition that no lorries should be allowed to leave or enter the quarry before 7am.

A 6.30am limit had originally been put forward for approval.

Speaking after the development control sub-committee meeting, he said: ''Residents have suffered from early morning vehicle movements, so I decided to introduce this condition. 'I have also asked for a strict log of heavy goods vehicles entering and leaving the quarry to be kept at the site.''

Villagers complained that traffic could lead to accidents and called for a new road to by-pass the village.

Parish councillors also claimed vibrations caused by the lorries had resulted in up to £8,000 worth of damage to the brook wall in the villagers.

A condition of an average of 60 lorries leaving the site each day in the year and a maximum of 85 on any one day was among strict traffic rules imposed.

The quarry's owers are to be consulted about new the time limit.

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