You can’t extend, mine operator told
CONTROVERSIAL plans to extend the Bradley opencast mine in County Durham have been rejected.
The proposals, which were branded environmentally unacceptable by opponents, were to extend the Leadgate site west to extract a further 90,000 tonnes of coal.
Bosses behind the scheme had promised to stick to an original deadline to restore the land by mid-August 2021, while Durham County Council’s development department had recommended it be given the green light.
The plan had been met with huge protest from campaigners – including environmental campaigners Extinction Rebellion.
And decision-makers instead opted to side with protesters and more than 6,000 letters of objection were sent opposing further work at the mine.
“Ten years ago, when this first came up, it was argued it was in the national interest to dig this site up. I think it is now in the national interest not to,” said Liberal Democrat opposition councillor Mark Wilkes.
“The proposed community and national benefits do not outweigh the unacceptable impact on the environment and amenities of local communities. The national benefits are not as significant as they were in the past and the impact on the local community will be far greater.”
Coun Wilkes was speaking at Wednesday’s meeting of the council’s county planning committee, which was held by video link and broadcast via YouTube, and where he formally proposed the application be rejected. Representatives from the Banks Group, which runs the mine, had tried to argue the plans would protect jobs on the site and support British industry by providing an alternative to imported coal from America, Russia or Australia. They also argued the “small extension” would have “minimal effects” on the surrounding area, which was backed by some members of the committee. Coun Audrey Laing said: “I feel there are a number of factors associated with this expansion which are, in my experience, relatively unique. In particular, the size of the expansion area is relatively small.
“We’re talking about a very shortterm proposal, one which will only be worked for a few months and not lead to any more long-term impacts.” She added: “I feel the economic benefits outweigh the limited and shortterm harm to the landscape and residential amenity.”
The majority of the committee disagreed, however, rejecting her proposal to approve the extension and backing Coun Wilkes’s motion to turn it down.
Coun Mark Wilkes