Shropshire Star

Mining fears to be outlined

Campaigners will today spell out their fears to a public inquiry that thousands of Telford children could suffer from asthma caused by fallout from a proposed opencast coal mine. Campaigners will today spell out their fears to a public inquiry that thousands of Telford children could suffer from asthma caused by fallout from a proposed opencast coal mine. And they will be urging UK Coal to ensure residents close to the mine site at Huntington Lane will be paid compensation for any damage to their homes. The points will be made to independent inspector Andrew Mead at the inquiry in Telford. Read the full story in today's Shropshire Star

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Campaigners will today spell out their fears to a public inquiry that thousands of Telford children could suffer from asthma caused by fallout from a proposed opencast coal mine.

And they will be urging UK Coal to ensure residents close to the mine site at Huntington Lane will be paid compensation for any damage to their homes.

The points will be made to independent inspector Andrew Mead at the inquiry in Telford.

He is considering UK Coal's bid to extract 900,000 tonnes of coal and 250,000 tonnes of fireclay over three years between New Works and Little Wenlock. A final decision will be made by the Government.

UK Coal claims the mine will meet Government demands for more home-produced coal for power stations such as Ironbridge.

It says the land, much of it currently derelict, will be restored to a better state than before once excavations are completed. And it disputes claims that noise, dust and lorry traffic will cause misery and potential danger for residents.

For the past three weeks, expert witnesses for UK Coal have been putting their case. Today is the turn of residents' protest group Friends of the Ercall, led by Pat Judson.

His main witness is retired GP, Dr Dick van Steenis, of Sarn, near Newtown, who claims the health of the 96,000 people living within a three-mile radius of the site is at risk from dust.