Mine plan delay protest
Your paper has been covering the application for an opencast mine at the Minorca site between Measham and Swepstone for some months.
Those of us who live close to the site have been living with this prospect for more than 17 months while UK Coal plc make up their minds on how to complete their planning application.
We think this is an intolerable length of time to wait for a decision. We now know that this application will not be considered by Leicestershire County Council until May 20 at the earliest.
For this reason the Minorca Opencast Protest Group (MOPG ) have written to UK Coal plc asking them to apologise to local people for the delay in processing this major planning application, and to give reasons for the delay.
Our letter points out three relevant points. First, that we are aware that at the end of December 2009 coal stocks at power generating stations were at a 15-year high, equal, we estimated, to six months' coal supply for generating purposes.
Secondly, we also indicated that we were aware that power generators between September and December 2009 only produced 75% of the electricity that they had produced a year ago.
Lastly, that unusually gas was being used as the main winter feed stock for power generation purposes, instead of coal.
We therefore believe that UK Coal plc is delaying proceeding with this application because there is an excess supply of coal in the current economic climate. We have invited UK Coal plc to comment on specific points made in our letter to disprove our claims.
We hope that your readers agree with us that waiting more than 17 months for a decision on such a large planning application as this for an opencast mine a mile long and half a mile wide, means that we have waited long enough.
If Leicestershire County Council can proceed in May we will then have waited 20 months. If they cannot proceed, because of UK Coal's already demonstrated inability to get it right first time, how much longer do we have to wait?
Stephen Leary, MOPG spokesperson.
4 Comments
by Wayne McDermott, Ellistown
Thursday, March 11 2010, 3:58PM
“As a regular visitor to Measham i see the cloud hanging over so many people waiting for this decision to come so they can get on with life. Why does it take so long anything to do with waiting until the General Election is out of the way i wonder.
Uk coal have a dreadful record of informing local residents on what is going on not only in Measham but everywhere thankfully the people of Measham have been kept well informed thanks to the excellent work of MOPG”
by Chris Malbon, Swepstone
Tuesday, March 09 2010, 10:36AM
“I would dearly love the arrogant management of UK Coal who turned up at a recent meeting to live near the the proposed site; and see what it is like to have any prospect of selling your house blighted by their poorly laid plans. I hope their lives become similarly blighted!!”
by Phil Owen, Measham
Monday, March 08 2010, 2:15PM
“I agree entirely with Mr Leary, living close by the proposed site has put our residents in an unacceptable lengthy delay, bliting their lives, the uncertainty giving our residents stress and pressure,the lack of contact by UK coal who seam unable to approach the application professionally.”
by Mark Tromans, Measham
Monday, March 08 2010, 2:13PM
“I am fed up with the delaying tactics used by UK Coal. Its taken nearly 2 years and they still cannot get it right. Its diabolical that this - so called professional - company has made so many mistakes and did not do their homework. If they had they would have realised after the first time it was refused that nobody wants this mine so my message to UK Coal is GET OUT AND LEAVE US ALONE.”