Waste lorries will be allowed to enter Walleys Quarry in Silverdale earlier in the morning after an application to Staffordshire County Council was approved.

Red Industries, under subsidiary company Walleys Quarry Limited, has now been granted permission for lorries to enter the site from 6am.

This is an hour earlier than they were allowed under existing rules, which permitted lorries to enter from 7am.

Staffordshire County Council officers said in a report on the application: "The proposal would potentially reduce congestion occurring by permitting vehicles to arrive at the site within a one-hour window prior to waste operations commencing staggering the arrival of vehicles.

"The proposal therefore gives rise to no adverse safety issue that would require mitigation from a planning and highway perspective."

Walleys Quarry said it was aware of concerns raised by the local community about lorries, bringing rubbish to the landfill, arriving before the gates were open and queuing on local roads as they wait to be let in.

However, the plans were opposed by Stop The Stink campaigners as well as Silverdale Parish Council.

Silverdale Parish council said there were worries about the additional noise generated along Silverdale Road to the junction with Cemetery Road arising from an earlier start at the quarry.

They said it seemed unclear how allowing the gates to open an hour earlier would ease congestion, as HGVs have to leave the parking area after 7am and the only access is at Cemetery Road.

They proposed a requirement for lorries to arrive at a pre-arranged times, within the formerly approved access times, to stagger arrivals and departures.

In conrast, Thistleberry Residents Association welcomed the application and said it is surprising action hadn't been taken sooner to prevent HGVs forming large queues outside the site.

Dr Angela Drakakis-Smith, from Thistleberry Residents Association, said: "Thistleberry Residents Association has been pleased to support this application, particularly as the intention appears to be to resolve the issue of lorries parking outside the landfill site prior to the opening hours from 7am.

"Allowing up to 23 to park inside the site would be a practical solution to the problem, given that the county council and police appear not to have taken to much interest in the issue.

"Although a double red line zone was suggested some years ago, as a solution, this never materialised."

She added: "This application is important since it is possibly a response to some drivers not observing the already existing rules re their behaviour whilst off site."

She said Red Industries has no jurisdiction off-site, and that this was a matter for the county council highways department and police.

She felt the company woud be in a position to control the behaviour of those one site, which the application enabled.

She added that the Environment Agency made 188 to Walleys Quarry, so it is highly likely that if there were any breaches these would be noticed by officials.

MP Aaron Bell and Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council both also supported the proposals.

Mr Bell said the problem of HGVs queueing to enter Walleys Quarry on the roads surrounding the landfill has been causing major concerns to residents.

He said the queues have impeded residents getting to work and school, as well as some minor traffic accidents, adding that the plan to open the gates an hour earlier would alleviate some of the traffic problems on Cemetery Road at the busiest time of the day.

Following the approval, there will be no physical changes to the existing access or internal haul road or site layout at Walleys Quarry.

There will be no change to the number of HGVs entering or leaving the site, and the number of vehicle movements will remain the same, as will the existing approved routes.

There will also be no additional buildings or machinery.

The conditions still mean the landfill's weigh bridge can only be operated after 7am, meaning vehicles parked up would have to wait until then to be inspected before they enter the landfill area to unload.

Stop The Stink protestors have been calling for a 'red route' to be created along Cemetery Road, but council officers felt this wouldn't be suitable.

They said: "The implementation of a 'Red Route' on Cemetery Road would not be appropriate as these are primarily used on major busy routes to reduce congestion.

"Slow moving HGV traffic on Cemetery Road causes some congestion for a very short period when arriving at the site once the gates are open."

A spokesperson for Walleys Quarry said: "Walleys Quarry Ltd welcomes the decision by from Staffordshire County Council to grant planning permission to allow lorries on-site from 6am, an hour earlier than currently permitted.

"We made this application with the intention of easing traffic congestion on Cemetery Road.

"From today, we are now able to get vehicles onsite at an earlier time clearing traffic more effectively and quickly should the need arise.

"We want to assure residents that no tipping disposing of waste on site will begin until 7am, as dictated by the current permission.

"All lorries will be parked on the haul road with their engines off to avoid noise disturbance.

"We anticipate this would result in between 12 and 23 vehicles being removed from the road, whilst continuing to allow access to emergency vehicles in the unlikely event this would be needed.

"This successful application comes as a result of our continued extensive conversations with local residents.

"We remain committed to working with the council and our neighbours to alleviate concerns as we work to provide a clean, healthy and sustainable operation that supports our community."