Opencast mining plan near Leicestershire village is rejected a second time
Plans for an opencast mine on the edge of a village should be rejected, councillors said last night.
North West Leicestershire District Council declared its formal objection to UK Coal plans to mine 1.5 million tonnes of coal and fireclay from the former Minorca Colliery site, between Measham and Swepstone – for a second time.
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Steve Leary, spokesman for the Minorca Opencast Protest Group
Its planning committee reiterated its stance of last October.
Leicestershire County Council had asked it to consider additional information supplied by the mining firm.
The 600-page document outlines improved environmental safeguards and includes the offer of £1.28 million towards the restoration of Ashby Canal.
Councillors on the 10-man committee, however, voted by eight to one, with one abstention, to maintain their opposition.
In doing so, they ignored the advice of planning officers, who said measures to deal with noise, dust and vibration from the site were now acceptable.
Richard Blunt, leader of the district council, said: "An opencast mine was opposed on this site in 1995, again last year and I can't see what's changed.
"The fact remains, the site is far too close to some homes and will blight their lives for the next five years."
Councillor Ted Purver said: "We can't ignore those people living near to the site. For quite a number of them, the mine is just too close."
At least 93 houses will be less than 500 metres from the site.
Steve Leary, spokesman for the Minorca Opencast Protest Group, told the committee that UK Coal's environmental assessment was based on "insufficient" data and ignored new Government advice favouring gas and other sources of energy over coal.
He said: "This application will significantly reduce the quality of life for local people."
As well as offering to help restore the Ashby Canal at Measham, including the construction of a drainage lake, UK Coal has promised £150,000 for other environmental and community projects.
Planning officers told the committee that an e-mail had been received from the Measham and Ashby Canal Enthusiasts group claiming more than 1,000 residents had signed a petition backing the scheme.
Commenting on the decision, Joanna Crane, whose home in Bosworth Road is less than 100 metres from the site, said: "We all want the canal but I believe the price is too high."
The County Council's development control and regulatory board will take into account the district authority's position when it makes its decision on October 15.
UK Coal spokesman Stuart Oliver said the three-year mining operation would supply enough energy for a million homes and help "realise long-held aspirations to restore the canal and regenerate the area".
3 Comments
by Rom, Meahsam
Wednesday, September 08 2010, 9:59PM
“Well NWLDC! It is the right decision and I hopw it will be follow by the County Council. Quality of life doesn't have a price, and a opencast mine doesn't have a place in the National Forest.”
by Arthur Brown, Amber Valley
Wednesday, September 08 2010, 2:23PM
“Well said Mark Tromans. Quality of life is what is important, and that is what residents will lose with an opencast mine anything up to a mile away, minimum. Given the right conditions, the noise and dust will have an even wider effect. This is not a 3-year plan, it is 4.5 years, with the most disruptive work undertaken during the additional 1.5 years that Oliver has swept under the carpet in usual fashion. With additional reserves adjacent to the provisional Minorca site, 4.5 years won't be the end of the matter should this bunch of environmental assassins gain permission.”
by Mark Tromans, Measham
Wednesday, September 08 2010, 12:59PM
“Congratulations and well done to Steve and everybody who spoke against the mining application and to the councillors who voted against the application - thanks. This application has been hanging around for too long and should be finnished off once and for all. I live well within the area which will be effected by this and do not see why I should have to put up with this application and all the baggage that comes with it. There is a lot of focus on the canal to deflect people from the actual real issues. It should not be about the canal, its about people and the effect it will have on their lives. I too want to see the canal come to Measham but not at the expense of my health, risks to self and familly, damage to property, devaluation, loss of amenity, loss of the SAC, etc. The canal should be something that everybody wants and helps towards - not something that would split the village and community - comments I have heard from angry residents. If the Ashby canal association members want it then organise fund raising and events, - dont just accept the UK Coal bribe which lets be honest it is, no matter how it is dressed up, and it wont be enough to make a dent in the progress of the canal in real terms, and it certainly wont make the village improvements which have been publicised by a certain individual (not MOPG I would like to add). I would also like to know what percentage of the so called 1000 people who voted for the mine - actually live near it or would be directly effected - none I expect, and to all those who voted for the mine, why dont you come and live next to it for the duration. As I said earlier - the canal issues should not be considdered at all because this is about the effects it will have on the people concerned. If UK Coal are so adamant they want this to go ahead then why dont they buy out all those effected within the 500 meter region of the site, - I cannot see that happening, can you?”