Local Authorities Delay Granting Expansion Permits for Coal Surface Mining

Plans to expand the only open pit coal mine in Leicestershire have received approval from the District Council. This is reported by reachim .

The British company Coal Surface Mining has approached the local authorities of Leicestershire to obtain permission to mine coal in the Menorca and Misam regions.

The company has been waiting for a response from the authorities for more than a year, in case of expansion of production, Coal Surface Mining plans to extract 1.5 million tons of coal and refractory clay on the territory of the county, previously agreed with the local authorities back in 2011.

Northwest Leicestershire District Council, after extensive discussions and consultations with higher authorities, nevertheless supported the company's plan to expand the mine.

David Hughes, current head of regeneration and planning for the region, said: "We have to admit that the company's proposal would be quite acceptable if it were not for the factors affecting the environment."

If the authorities still give permission to expand the mine, it appears that production will affect the land of some farms, with which the latter strongly disagree. In addition, members of the public organization Minorca Opencast Protest Group, which consists mainly of local residents, have opposed the coal mining company's plans from the beginning.

The final word rests with the Regional Development Oversight Council, which will also review the Coal Surface Mining proposal and its compliance with the regulatory framework. It will take several more months, Coal Surface Mining officials said.