A minerals company in north Wiltshire has been told it can carry on working for the next 42 years.

But a new liaison committee is being set up to deal with concerns raised by local people about the Moreton C Cullimore (Gravels) operation.

The county council has agreed that the company can continue operating on the site just west of Ashton Keynes subject to 18 conditions.

Coun Carole Soden (Con Minety) told the environmental services committee that local parish councillors found it hard to believe the length of permitted working could not be shortened.

She called on officers to make sure that all the conditions imposed on the application were strictly applied.

The committee agreed that the concerns should be put to the new liaison group which will include members of the parish, district and county councils as well as the council's minerals officer and company representatives.

The company is working on three sites across 163 acres west of Ashton Keynes.

Ashton Keynes and Somerford Keynes parish councils both considered that 2042 was too long for working on site.

But county planning officers say a shorter period could result in an appeal by the applicant if they could demonstrate that this would lead to a restriction on working rights.

They say the issues can be reviewed in the future and would not then incur a potential claim for compensation.