PLANS to extend a quarry would cause years of misery to residents and there is no need for it, councillors told a meeting.

Horwich Town Council discussed an application from Armstrongs Aggregate Ltd to vary a condition to allow sandstone to be extracted for another nine years from Montcliffe Quarry in Horwich.

Bolton Council has received 126 letters of support and 104 objections — but the 40 residents who attended the meeting at St John's Methodist Church in Victoria Road heard only views against the scheme.

Residents said the previous planning permission was granted in 2005 on the grounds there would be no further extensions.

But chief planning officer Tim Hill said no guarantees can be made about future applications and each has to be given considera- tion.

Neighbours also raised concerns about the increase in HGVs that it would cause.

But bosses from Armstrongs insisted there would be no increase from the existing traffic.

Cllr Kevan Helsby said: “My view is there is no valid reason for the application to be approved.

Cllr Stephen Rock added: “I do not think there is any reason why we should grant this application.”

Councillors recommended the application for refusal and a final decision will be made by Bolton Council. The site was previously owned by a company called Hansons, who submitted the 2005 application.

Martin Millmore, speaking on behalf of Armstrongs said after the meeting: “The quarry is active at the moment and residents have already been experiencing the lorry movements from Montcliffe Quarry, it is not going to be an increase as it is already happening.

“Hansons left the quarry but they did not work it to its full depth. “When Armstrongs took over we did a survey and realised there was 1.4 million tonnes of good quality reserves remaining.”

He added that when the quarrying is completed the site will be turned into a nature reserve.