New night-time working at Bank Top stone quarry, in Wilsden, looks likely to be approved despite parish council concerns that local peace and quiet might suffer.

M and M Yorkshire Stone Products wants permission to cut sandstone and use a forklift truck every weekday evening from 6pm to 10pm, which they say would increase efficiency and give workers another shift.

There is also no plan to increase any heavy traffic to or from the site during those evenings.

But while Bradford Council’s Regulatory and Appeals Committee is recommended to approve the plans when it meets on Thursday, Wilsden Parish Council is against the scheme due to fears over increased noise pollution from the site’s two stone saws housed in sheds.

“Residential amenity would be harmed due to noise from the sheds,” wrote the parish council in its formal objection.

“The parish council believes that an increase of ten decibels against a normal quiet night of 30DB is likely to be noticeable especially when this is sustained noise of a mechanical nature which is more likely to be an irritant than natural noise of the same level.

“Residents who have to live with noise throughout the working day are entitled to expect that operational noise should cease when the day ends.”

Parish councillor Simon Dickerson explained their concerns further: “We obviously have concerns over the impact on neighbours from additional noise and nuisance.”

One local resident noted: “We presently enjoy the wonderful peace of the evening when work at the quarry has ceased and this would be shattered every working weekday.”

However a supporter of the scheme, who has lived near Bank Top quarry for 25 years, said he had no objection and would welcome having people working there at night, due to the remote nature of the spot.

The recommendation to approve extended hours concluded there would be economic benefit and that the impact of stone sawing, with the shed doors closed, would not lead to a level of noise which could cause “significant disturbance” to local residents.