A planning application was lodged by quarry operators with the City of Ballarat and went on advertising in September, attracting around 25 objections.

There has since been a mediation meeting with objectors and the planning company that originally lodged the application.

Owners want to amend a permit condition for the quarry site off Bells Road, which only allows traffic to enter and leave using the eastern section of Bells Road.

The condition is known as "section 14". The Courier was told this has been in place since 1986 due to concerns about heavy traffic using Sago Hill Road.

If the planning amendment is approved, it would allow traffic to go to the west along Bells Road towards the Kopkes/ Bells Road/ Sago Hill Road intersection, which many locals already feel is too busy.

The change would also allow heavy traffic to approach the quarry from the west of the site and use Sago Hill Road.

Planners representing the quarry owner Paddy Kennedy have said the application was not to allow the amount of traffic to expand, but to help traffic movements be more efficient.

There were no known plans to sell the quarry, those attending the mediation meeting were told.

The initial application sought permission to allow 30 truck movements using the adjusted route, including 15 going into the quarry and 15 leaving it.

Scott Davies is among a group of residents who objected to the plans.

"It's a bad corner as it is," he told The Courier. "Adding trucks to it is only going to make it worse. There's enough traffic there as it is."

He said the planning application also raised safety concerns due to the large vehicles and increased traffic near to a bus stop used by school children.

"We've had at least three accidents there in the last few years - it has always been an accident-prone intersection," he said.

Other residents said heavy vehicles could cause adjoining roads to deteriorate.

Since a mediation meeting held at the end of last month, planners representing the quarry owner have proposed to reduce the maximum traffic movements to 24 per day.

The traffic created by the amendment would only cause a traffic increase of less than three per cent according to their own traffic surveys.

While several objectors have queried the accuracy of the traffic surveys that took place, Cardno TGM, the surveying and planning company that lodged the application said the studies were carried out by a company approved by VicRoads.

The matter will also be referred to VicRoads, and concerns raised will be considered by a council safety committee.

The decision on the amendment will be made by council officers or at a council meeting if the decision is called in.

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