Open Casting

Durham County Council planners have nodded through UK Coal's plans to create artificial ponds for newts that already live in existing ponds which the developer intends to destroy. This is the start of the attempted open cast coal mining of the Pont Valley. UK Coal say they intend to start work on the ponds in early January. This work is strongly opposed by the local community.
Pont Valley Network

The Hexham Courant reports that Northumberland County Council’s planning and environment committee has thrown out HM Project Developments Ltd application to opencast 140,000 tonnes of coal 50 metres from residents’ homes in Halton Lea Gate.

Whittonstall
Wolsingham residents against the coal depot