“As a resident literaly located between the canal (proposed re open section) at the bottom of my property and the Opencast proposed site at the front of my house i am involved in both issues. I would like to know what precise aid UK Coal are proposing in their discussions with the Canal Trust group, since we have already lived with the embankment for 14 years awaiting the canal. Might it still be a further 14 years before we see any real progress i.e. the canal into Measham since until the canal does reach Measham there precisely NO benifits to the village.”

“What is Mr Box babbling on about? ¿Relatively short disruption¿? Lounge was worked over 15 years ago and has been left derelict and unsafe since then by UK Coal. Now they can see a money making opportunity they want to ¿develop¿ the site, how about they restore this to safe clean agricultural land as stated in their original planning application.

In terms of Minorca do you really think that UK Coal will stop at 4.5 years! They have said in their current planning application for this site that they want to retain ¿management¿ of the site for 10 years following the open casting and restoration. This surely is a clear indication that they have ¿other plans¿ for the site. Other plans which could mean more open casting or a large industrial development with convenient access to the A42. Do we really want this next to a newly restored Ashby Canal tourist attraction? I think not!

Minorca Open Cast should be unanimously rejected, however we should all work together as a local community to bring forward the Ashby Canal development.”

“Mr Box why don't you take a few hours of your day and visit some old opencast sites in the area.
Why not visit the area around Albert Village and feast your eyes on the mess that is still there after all these years, take a look what NSM did and how they left it. Maybe you fancy a trip to Lount to look at the remains of the rail link that has been left from working that area, feast your eyes on the demolition mess still there.
Do you fancy nipping over to have a look at the nice industrial estate that grew after opencasting around Cadley Hill Colliery and even after all these years all the areas still look a mess.
This is not what I want to see and neither do the people of Measham and surrounding villages.
I have lived in and around this area all my life and only now do I see a decrease in opencasting, I see Measham growing as a place where people want to settle down and make it home for now and for the future, not as a hole in the ground with people leaving for a more nicer, cleaner village.
Maybe you will have no objection if we all move to Appleby Magna and live around you, we could bring our opencast with us too, I bet you would be pleased.”

“Mr Box should keep up with events and not report old news. It was the Planning Officers at NWLDC who recommended that no objection should be made to UK Coal's plan for an opencast mine at Minorca.last week. Only problem for Mr Box was that the Planning Committee unanimously voted to oppose the application. Is he crystal ball gazing?Leicestershire County Council has, as yet no recommendation before them, so any talk about Planning Officers making section 106 recommendations re the Minorca Application is premature.. Stop ranting Gerald and deal with the facts!”

“I strongly disagree with Mr Box. Although I am all in favour of the restoration of the canal, the benefits would by far be outweighed by the disadvantages.The effects of open cast mining to the environment,dust,noise,pollution etc would last for many years.Instead of attracting tourism to the area,open cast mining would have an adverse effect and drive tourism away. I fully agree with Mr Pratt above and would also gladly make a donation”