A MOBILE glass recycling plant is to continue operating for the next year after it was granted extended planning permission.

The plant at Black Quarry, on the outskirts of Leyburn, operates twice a year for three weeks, crushing glass to be used in asphalt and aggregates for road building.

Some members of Richmondshire District Council environment committee shared objectors' concerns about glass dust drifting across the town from the site.

But Councillor Terry Jones had investigated the issue and was confident that the particle sizes from the operation were unlikely to cause lung damage. "I am reassured by what the applicants, RMC Aggregates, say and, in general, I would support this application," he said.

The county council has the final say over the glass recycling operation, but the district authority agreed to recommend a year's extension, instead of the five years requested, to allow any problems to be addressed.

The operation was first approved for 12 months in July 1999.