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Health study on mines plan
Wednesday 14th January 2009, 3:30PM GMT.
Council bosses are to spend up to £80,000 on a long-awaited study into the possible effects on health from a controversial opencast mine planned for Telford, it was announced today.
Campaigners had been calling for the health impact assessment (HIA) to be carried out regarding UK Coal’s proposals for the site off Huntington Lane, near Little Wenlock.
Now the council has revealed it has commissioned the independent study, which will cost up to £80,000.
The application to mine 900,000 tonnes of coal is going to a public inquiry after UK Coal complained Telford & Wrekin Council had taken too long to decide on the plans – although the council is understood to be set to come out against the scheme anyway.
Councillors will be considering the application at a special plans board meeting on January 22 to allow them to form a view on the application so this can be put forward and argued at the forthcoming inquiry, which is due to start on April 28.
It is understood a report being prepared by council planning officers for the meeting will recommend refusing the application.
The HIA will also form part of the council’s case.
Dr Catherine Woodward, Telford & Wrekin director of public health, had recommended in May the investigation into the potential impact on health be carried out.
The council said an HIA was not required within the statutory planning process, but it considered health to be an important issue in relation to the UK Coal proposal.
Councillor Andrew Eade, council leader, said: “Although we have no statutory obligation to undertake an HIA for this application, I firmly believe this is the correct course of action in the circumstances.
“I am also pleased members of the plans board now have the opportunity to make their views clear to The Planning Inspectorate regarding the opencast mining proposals.”
The council will submit its “statement of case” setting out its position regarding the application by January 28. UK Coal claims the project would make safe an area riddled with dangerous old mine workings, create jobs and help the economy.
Objectors claim their lives would be wrecked and their health harmed.
By Lisa Rowley
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Surely the company that is trying to open the coal mine should pay for the survey.
I dont want the mine to open as I know it will effect the health and well being of local residents.
It is up to the company seeking planning permission to prove that it will not.
Or have the in patients taken over the asylum already.
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Does it require £80,000 spending – surely we know it bad, the question is balancing our energy needs and how we can minimise the effects.
But I would have thought all the Anti-incinerator folk would be all for it, as there would be no need to burn rubbish if it was used as a land fill after – and it wouldn’t be in their back-yard either.
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I agree Ronald. Unless there’s some legal reason for it, why should I, an unemployed council-tax payer have to pay for an assessment for British Coal’s benefit? When I built an extension to my house recently, I wasn’t able to get British Coal to pay for all the plans to be submitted to the council and my building wouldn’t have gone ahead without me meeting council demands. TWC: if the applicant can’t be bothered to meet your requirements for consideration, then don’t advance the proposal, reject it.
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Wow! Is this goodbye Wenlock-Edge?
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It wont effect the health of local residents, how do you know it will, whats the health of people living near existing open mines! stop wasting money, theres no health problems, none will be caused.
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Friends of ther Ercall welcome TelfordCouncils compliance with the PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTOR for Telfords call for the HIA. People who live downwind of the proposed mine will now have a real say in the Public Enquiry to come in April.
To have gone to Public Enquiry and disregarded the call for the HIA by the Primary Care Trust would have been a foolish strategy on Telford and Wrekin Councils part.
They have acted with wisdom in taking this hard decision, albeit at the last minute for submitting evidence to the Public Enquiry.
They should be commended on doing the right thing for the people of Telford – this was a groundbreaking decision with far reaching consequences for all Coal companies who wish to impose Opencast Mines on the English public(HIAs) are part of planning protocol in Wales and Scotland, not England. Do the Government therefore think that the soft lung tissue of the English race is somewhat hardier and more resistant to Pm2.5 dust particulates than their counterparts in Scotland and Wales?).
Friends of the Ercall.
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From what I recall, the problem is very much with the emissions from the trucks that the company uses to transport the coal from the mine … so that would mean all the fumes from the trucks on the site (which would affect Arleston) plus the fumes from those going off the site through Huntington and then across the top end of Horsehay towards Ironbridge (affecting the new Lightmoor development) or going to the M54 and so really affecting the showcase development of Ironstone! Put it this way, if you were considering buying a house on Lightmoor or Ironstone, would you do it if you knew there was a planned Opencast Mine in the vicinity??
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