PLANNERS have agreed to extend the life of a waste tip that was briefly used for burying foot-and-mouth carcasses.

Dumping at the former Chapman's Well opencast site, near Annfield Plain, should have finished in June.

But the operation was interrupted in March last year when animal carcasses were buried over six days before the Government opted for burial at Tow Law instead.

The site was dormant until the last phase of tipping - at an accelerated rate - resumed in May.

Now Durham County Council's planning committee has given site operator Premier Waste Management approval to continue tipping of rubbish from the nearby Annfield Plain Waste Transfer Station, until the end of September.

The firm has until June next year to complete the site's restoration. Head of planning John Suckling said the restoration could be delayed until next year by a wet autumn and winter.

"The proposed extension of time sought by the operator therefore allows for the possibility that final reinstatement, in particular soil spreading and seeding, may need to be deferred to spring 2003."

Derwentside District Council objected, claiming extra traffic would cause inconvenience and that "the perceived health problems resulting from the prolonged tipping operations would be unacceptable".

Mr Suckling said the scheme would not generate extra traffic and that "any perceived health problems cannot be substantiated".

The South Moor Partnership expressed concern at the duration of the extension and called for assurances the work would be completed "in accordance with good site management practices''.

The nearest houses are 700 metres away at Quaking Houses and unlikely to be affected by tipping and soil spreading, councillors heard.

Technicians who looked at the effect of dumping carcasses recommended earlier this year that ordinary waste dumping resume and be completed quickly.

They said it would enable the dump to be sealed quickly and prevent more water seeping into the infected area.

Local people were outraged when the site was chosen as a burial ground at the height of the outbreak.

Councillors have also approved plans by Ener-G Natural Power to generate electricity from landfill gas at Chapman's Well.

The power will supply the National Grid.