A QUARRY looks set to be extended and stay open for another 10 years after planning chiefs accepted they had no choice but to accept a compromise scheme.

A derelict farmhouse and farm buildings will be demolished as part of plans to make Harwood Quarry, in Brookfold Lane, Harwood, safe.

The site, the subject of much controversy, will be extended by two acres, and around 92,000 cubic metres of gritstone will be dug up and refilled with other materials to stop the north side of the quarry slipping.

Owner Harwood Quarry Company Ltd's earlier scheme would have been twice the size but was thrown out by a planning inspector in February because it would damage the area's appearance.

Bolton Council had also rejected the scheme.

The inspector proposed this scheme as a compromise to ensure the quarry stayed safe but did not damage the area.

Despite this, 19 letters of objection were sent by residents complaining that the project was in Green Belt land which had been designated an area of special landscape value.

The quarry has also long been a source of complaint from residents unhappy at noise levels and disturbance.

Cllr Norman Critchley said: "I agree that our hands are somewhat tied. But we must monitor this work regularly so that if we are saying that this is going to be finished by 2011, then it is."

Cllr Margaret Rothwell warned that the council should keep an eye on what material was dumped there.

She said: "When nobody is looking somebody will jump in with some undesirable material. Who is going to know if that is inert material or not?"

Councillors agreed to delegate the final decision to the planning director who would agree the conditions with the quarry owner first before granting approval.