A quarry near Coalville is to be expanded into farmland.

Leicestershire County Council has granted permission to Cliffe Hill Quarry, in Stanton under Bardon, to increase its extraction area, but residents have raised concerns over "earthquake"-like tremors.

The move comes after a decision by North West Leicestershire District Council in October 2022 to allow Midland Quarry Products Ltd to work the land for an additional 10 years. The time extension means blasting at the site can now run until 2042.

The application to extend into neighbouring fields was recommended for approval by planning officers at the county council who said it would "release around 30 million tonnes of reserves" and "sustain" the operation. They added it would safeguard jobs for another year for both those employed directly by the quarry, and those in adjacent industries.

However, concerns were raised over the impact of the proposals on neighbours at the county's Development Control and Regulatory Board committee meeting as the plans were being discussed. One local resident said his home is already affected by the blasting that takes place on the site.

He said there is "constant vibrating" and likened the tremors to an "earthquake". He said the force is so strong it "knocks pictures off the walls".

He added dust from the quarry is a problem also, with "thick dust" on windows and cars. This is particularly bad in the summer months when there is no rain to "subdue" the dust, the resident said. The proposals were "worrying" for him and his family, the man added.

Conditions are attached to the approval to ensure blasting does not create vibrations over a specified level. Planning officers told members they had the ability to monitor this, and could take "enforcement action" if the quarry was found to be operating outside of those limits. Additionally, air quality assessments determined the proposals "would not have a significant effect" on residents or the local environment.

Part of Cliffe Lane is to be diverted to allow for the extension, planning documents show. The existing stretch of road would remain in use until the new route is complete, though planning officers said there could be some disruption to drivers when the roads are connected.

The county council's highways department raised no concerns over the plans from a road safety or congestion point of view. Documents said the number of heavy good vehicle (HGV) journeys to and from the site would not increase, and the proposed routes would largely remain the same.

Hours of use are also expected to remain the same. These include restricting blasting to between 10am and 6pm on weekdays, and HGV journeys to between 6am and 6pm on weekdays and between 7am and 2pm on Saturdays.

Cliffe Hill Quarry is currently split into two areas, the old quarry and the new, which are linked by a tunnel. The new quarry is currently used for processing extracted materials, and this is not proposed to change.

The old quarry is expected to continue to be worked for the next few years, before extraction moves into the extended area in around 2028. Once work ceases in 2042, restoration of the site will be carried out.

Councillors ultimately voted unanimously to back the proposals in line with officer recommendations.