TWO hundred tonnes of slate will be extracted from a Coniston quarry each year if plans to deepen the existing hole are given the green light.

The Lake District National Park Authority's development control committee is considering an application to extend Peat Field Quarry, on Hodge Close, from M.W.

Gibson and M.

Askew, of Coniston.

Planning officer David McGowan explained that green slate was already being extracted from the site and processed into a range of products, but existing reserves from which the applicants have permission to take slate were diminishing.

If granted planning consent, they expect to remove about 200 tonnes of green slate from the site annually and use it mainly for roofing slate as well as tiles, flags and walling stone.