A QUARRY company’s revived plans to extend its workings are likely to be approved despite objections from ramblers over the moving of a bridleway.

Sherburn Sand wants to extract an extra 1.35 million tonnes of limestone and sand from Crime Rigg Quarry, near Shadforth.

The company, which is based in Sherburn Hill, has been refused permission for the scheme three times - twice by Durham County Council and once by John Prescott, then Deputy Prime Minister, following a public inquiry.

But county council planning officers now agree there is a greater demand for the mined products.

They are recommending the planning committee meeting tomorrow grants approval for a new access and diversion of a bridleway allow extraction of some of the material, as well as variations to existing conditions to allow the mining of the remainder.

Sherburn Sand wants permission to remove the stone pillar or barrier, separating the extension area from the original quarry.

It is proposing to extract 170,000 tonnes of limestone and sand from this barrier - which is 200m long and 38m high and 8m high.

An additional 1.18million tonnes of limestone and sand in the existing quarry that cannot currently be worked because of the existing access would also be released.

Sherburn Sand propose the creation of a new access to the north of the B1283 which would run parallel to the B1283 for about 400m. The access road would then take traffic through a new tunnel 10m under the B1283 to the north-east corner of the quarry.

The Ramblers Association, joined by the City of Durham Trust, have objected because of the loss of Bridleway 12 that has "intrinsic value as an attractive bridleway route lined by mature hedges".

They have also raised concerns about the route of the proposed diversion during the life of the site.

But, planning officers say, the diverted route was considered acceptable by the planning inspector on appeal and the council’s public rights of way officers consider the proposed route to be acceptable.

A report to the committee recommending approval says that despite the current economic climate "the release of additional sources of sand is now justified to meet an identified regional need".