A SAND and gravel firm will extend the life of its North Yorkshire quarrying activities by up to 20 years if it can secure planning approval for a two-phase proposal.

Tarmac Northern supplies a quarter of the county's aggregate needs from the Nosterfield Quarry site at Bedale, which it has operated for the past two decades.

The site has only three or four more years worth of reserves left and the firm has explored opportunities to open new seams using the existing plant.

The first proposed phase would be to quarry 40 hectares to the east of the existing operation.

If planning permission was granted, that would extend Nosterfield's use by up to five years.

A much grander proposal, phase two, would involve about 100 hectares to the south which would add ten to 12 years to Tarmac's commitment to the quarry.

Bob Nicholson, estate manager for Yorkshire, Cumbria and Northern Ireland, said: "We do not have anywhere else to go. We have those reserves which are finite.

"If we cannot get planning permission we would have to work the area which is underneath the land, then restore the area and go.

"We know there is good quantities of sand and gravel in these areas."

The company has held consultation exercises and public meetings with local residents to discuss the proposals.

Were planning permission granted it would safeguard 11 full-time jobs and four contractors on site.