THE owner of a brickworks plant wants to extend a clay and sandstone quarry to prolong the life of the site.

The proposed extension of Eldon Brickshale Quarry would allow brick manufacturing to continue for about 35 years.

Without the expansion, Austrian- based owner Wienerberger Limited says it would run out of materials to make bricks in five years time.

It would have to consider bringing tonnes of clay from other suppliers to the site, between Eldon and Old Eldon villages, near Shildon, to keep about 40 jobs.

Nigel Griffiths, group development manager, said: "There have been various operations on the site since around 1877, initially associated with the coal mining industry, then a brickworks since the 1930s.

"Wienerberger acquired the site in 2004 and now hopes to keep the brick factory and 40 to 45 jobs ticking over for years to come.

"If planning permission is approved, the new quarry could start in around 2009, when various planting and footpath issues are resolved.

"We've consulted the public and there was a very low-key response.

The operation has been there a long time and following its use, it would be carefully restored."

The proposed expansion increases the size of the quarry to 13 hectares.

Mineral extraction would take place in four to six week periods, two or three times a year, allowing the firm to stockpile materials.

That would enable the company to quarry top quality shale to mix.

Quarry operations would be limited to the working hours it runs now, which exclude late nights, Sundays and bank holidays.

Bosses expect 1.7m tonnes of brickshale to be extracted from the site during its lifetime and coal from occasional seams discovered would be exported.

The company would carry out landscaping and plant hedgerows to shield the site.

After extraction, most of the area would be restored to pasture and native broadleaf woodland on the steeper slopes.

Durham County Council expects to consider Wienerberger's application in late summer.