Mine will benefit county, says firm
Tuesday 25th March 2008, 12:00PM GMT.
Plans to create a huge opencast mine on the western edge of Telford will have clear benefits for Shropshire and the rest of Britain, according to UK Coal.
It says mining will create more than 90 well-paid jobs, provide a multi-million boost for the economy, make safe an area riddled with dangerous mine workings and help meet the growing national demand for coal.
But objectors say the scheme will wreck the quality of life for residents, threaten the health of future generations and destroy wildlife in some of the county’s most precious countryside.
Telford & Wrekin Council is currently collating views before coming to a decision later this year on UK Coal’s planning application for Huntington Lane, near Little Wenlock.
In its official environmental statement submitted to the council, UK Coal said: “Coal continues to be a very important source of energy and particularly power generation in the UK and demand in recent years has increased significantly.”
It points out the site contains 10 main coal seams and has previously been mined by primitive methods over many centuries.
“This accounts for why many workings are unrecorded and why holes can suddenly emerge at the surface of this land,” the statement says.
“There have also been instances of spontaneous combustion of the exposed coal seams and this can add to the problem of land instability through the creation of additional void space at shallow depths from the surface.”
UK Coal says the removal and sealing of old workings would significantly improve safety and minimise the risk of spontaneous combustion.
It says the site is in a landscape area officially labelled “poor” and says mining would not harm The Wrekin and Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
UK Coal argues none of the eight settlements in the area would suffer significant visual, noise or dust impact from mining while local roads would be able to cope with the extra traffic.
It says its provision of a £500,000 Community Trust Fund to be spent by local people, the new jobs, the making safe of land harmed by previous mining and enhanced public access to the area “all represent clear local and community benefits”.
UK COAL – WHAT IS PLANNED
- The 93.5 hectare site is next to Huntington Lane and 100m from homes at New Works. It includes land to the south west of New Works Wood where surface mining took place in the 1940s and 1950s.
- UK Coal wants to extract 900,000 tonnes of coal at a rate of 7,259 tonnes a week from two areas either side of the wood.
- Total coaling period would be 32 months with the final restoration taking six months.
- Up to 250,000 tonnes of fireclay for use in brickmaking would also be mined.
- Mining would take place from 7am to 7pm on weekdays and 7am to 1pm on Saturdays, with no work on Sundays or bank holidays.
- Coal from Huntington Lane would largely go to Ironbridge and Rugeley power stations.
- Fifty lorry loads of coal and 16 of fireclay would leave the site each day.
- A total of 92 jobs (40 direct) would be created, with wages averaging £25,000 a year.
- The site would have an annual turnover of £13 million, benefiting the local economy.
- UK Coal would create a £500,000 Community Trust Fund, managed by local people for community and environmental projects.
By Peter Johnson
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Create jobs? – over what – three years?
Growing demand for coal? Apart from environmental concerns about the pollution from coal-fired power stations, the total amount to be extracted is about a quarter of the annual output of one deep mine – Daw Mill in Warwickshire.
“Make safe an area riddled with dangerous mine workings”? – dangerous to who?
How about – three years of mess and chaos, the loss of yet more open space in Telford, doubtless to be replaced by yet more housing when mining has finished?
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I don’t think 90 jobs (and thats SKILLED JOBS!! for all those opencast miners in the area) would provide a multi-million boost for the economy.
“Make safe an area riddled with dangerous mine workings”?
To my knowledge no-one has ever been hurt up there due to the old workings.
and “help meet the growing national demand for coal.”
we are supposed to be turning away from these types of fuel.
If thse are the only benifits then don’t bother……
And the point still has to be made about the amount of coal they will extract. If all 900,000 tonnes
went to Ironbridge power station it would only last less than 30 days. WHATS THE POINT!!!!
Why have protected areas of outstanding natural beauty if it can be dug up anyway (changing it to
brownfield land. Making it easier to get planning for houses)
I could go on but I shall leave it their before I start throwing things…arghhhh
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UK Coal is not wanted and open cast mining is not wanted.
The only people who have anything to gain will be UKCoal and Developers after they have finished.
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Could UK Coal explain how they will protect the ANOB and the SSSI?
Or will they grub them out and replace them with houses and a new golf course? And a small faux village green? (sic)
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what possible benefit can a giant scar near the base of the wrekin be to the most beautiful county in the country. what a marvellous site will be on view to those walkers on top of caer caradoc, the longmynd or the stiperstones. no to the scar, no to the coal mine and no to any opencast mines. now properly mined underground may be a different matter
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the things that worry me most is possible ignorant councillors and amateur planners only interested in a fast buck, sorry telford fans, to help offset council tax, salopia would not be floreated with this sore in it’s midst!
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HAVING LIVED IN A SMALL VILLAGE, BY SUCH A PROJECT AS THIS. I WOULD NOT WISH THIS ON ANYONE. THE NOISE, DUST, AND DESTRUCTION OF OUR BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY AND WILD LIFE IN OUR VILLAGE WAS DESTROYED FOREVER.
DON’T BELIEVE THE SET TIME SCALE EITHER, FOR MAKE NO MISTAKE AN EXTENSION WILL BE ASKED FOR AFTER THE FIRST STAGE HAS ALL BUT COMPLETED.
THE COAL BOARD WILL MAKE PROMISE AFTER PROMISE TO RESTORE THIS LAND BACK TO ITS ORIGINAL STATE, BUT ALL THAT MEANS IS FLAT LAND AND FENCES WITH A FEW TREES IF YOU ARE LUCKY. AS STATED ABOVE, IT DESTROYED OUR LITTLE VILLAGE, SO I WISH YOU EVERY SUCCESS IN STOPPING THIS PROJECT.
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“what possible benefit can a giant scar near the base of the wrekin be to the most beautiful county in the country.” I totally agree but then we have had to put up with Telford for so long it’s difficult to remember what it was like before the scar.
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Certainly sounds like a case of commercial interest hiding (or attempting to hide) behind extremely dubious ‘benefits’ for the local community whilst raping an otherwise pleasant and attractive environment. If this gets council approval then I believe an inquiry into the whole affair should be launched with specific interest devoted to any possible conflict of interest issues.
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Well done UK coal for giving us the Ammo to fire back at you.
This company has owned the claimed “Dangerous” land, since the last application to opencast in 1998-(that was refused by secretary of state 2002.)
Why therefore, have they not fenced off, and provided plenty,of notices warning of the dangers to people , as Public footpaths and rights of way criss cross the proposed site.
Next time you go past a power pylon,and many are on public land, observe the danger of death, do not enter or climb notice affixed below the barbed wire fencing that covers the lower level.
UK coal, dont cry crocodile tears about public safety, DO SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR MORAL RESPONSIBILITY to those who legally, can cross the land by public right of way.
We the Friends of the Ercall, challenge you to provide documented evidence of ALL deaths OR injuries, from falling down holes / mineshafts, SINCE you became owners of this land, ie, New Works, Short Woods, Huntington, and why during the last 10 years , failed in your public duty of notification about this danger?
We dont want sob stories from you, or anyone else, about Cows,etc, show us the FACTS about HUMAN death OR injury regarding this land.
BRING IT ON. Also , please dont forget the meeting at Lawley church hall, Friday 4th April, Dr van Steenis , the speaker.
We urge all the public, to continue to write letters of opposition to Mr D Coxill, planning department, Telford and wrekin council, civic offices Telford, while you still have time to do so.
We openly call on the Public health Director, and the Council, to undertake a HEALTH IMPACT ASSESMENT, before this goes before the planning board for decision, and urge you to write to them to get this in motion as soon as possible.
Regards, Pat, Friends of the Ercall.
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very witty norman wish i had the guts to say something similar about a concrete jungle etc
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I’ve got a brilliant idea lets leave all those thousands and thousands of tonnes of coal in the ground!
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Good idea Sean!! I’d love to see where they’ll find the skill base for these lovely jobs anyway these days … do you know of any young miners in the area??
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