Plans have been submitted to work an extra four million tonnes of limestone at a quarry next to Lightwater Valley theme park.
Limestone has been extracted at Potgate Quarry in North Stainley since the 1980s to create on-site concrete as well as for use in construction and road-building across North Yorkshire.
Lightwater Quarries Limited, which owns the quarry, said the amount of available limestone has been decreasing so it has applied to North Yorkshire County Council for an extension to the site to extract a further four million tonnes over a period of 20 years.
A map of the quarry and the proposed extension.
An environmental report attached to the application found that vibrations from the quarry would have a “slight adverse” impact on nearby houses. It also says that work at the site will cause some disturbance to local wildlife such as great crested newts.
However, as extraction works come to an end on other parts of the site, these areas will be restored with a patchwork of agricultural fields, woodland and grassland.
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The area is of archaeological importance dating back to the Iron Age or Roman period and an investigation would take place if the plans are passed.
In 2013, archaeologists unearthed an Iron Age enclosure while excavating land at the edge of the quarry.
North Yorkshire County Council will decide on the plans in November.