Quarry traffic along the narrow roads of some South Lakeland villages is expected to rise after new conditions were agreed for the site at Holmescales Quarry.

There is a condition restricting the output of gritstone from the Old Hutton quarry each day to 400 tonnes. This means a maximum of 16 lorries can leave the site every day.

Under the new conditions the restriction on output is swapped in favour of limiting the number of lorries each day to 24 meaning an extra eight lorries could leave the site on some days.

The planning assessment showed that if the maximum of 24 lorries leave the site daily this would increase quarry traffic to ten per cent of all traffic movements along Gatebeck Lane, 2.5 per cent at Middleshaw and one per cent through Oxenholme.

However, it was stated that the permitted annual output of 100,000 tonnes would not be changed and therefore 24 lorries could not leave every day otherwise output would be exceeded.

A total of 70 objections were received from people in the surrounding areas, most of them concerned that the routes used by the lorries are unsuitable. Old Hutton and Holmescales Parish Council recently submitted plans for a new footpath linking the villages of Middleshaw, St John's and Bridge End because the road was becoming more dangerous due to the increase in quarry traffic over recent times.

Other changes will see the operating hours at the quarry extended to include work on Saturdays. The applicants have also agreed to enter into a legal agreement that will specify a set route for HGVs visiting the site, offer a set of haulier's rules that drivers will be required to abide by and secure a contribution of £30,000 towards highway improvements in the vicinity of the site.

The set route will be the existing one-way route using the A65 and B6254 through Oxenholme, Old Hutton and Gatebeck. Cumbria County Council planning officer Rachel Brophy said: "The package of measures with conditions would contribute to mitigating the impact of quarry traffic in the vicinity.

"This strikes the balance of protecting the amenity and also ensuring the economic viability of the quarry."

On approving the recommendation to accept the new conditions, County Coun Ronnie Calvin said he supported the recommendations because they will benefit local people and the quarry.