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Opencast victory for Yorks residents
JUBILANT protesters are celebrating after council planning bosses said 'NO' to an opencast mining operation close to Fairburn Ings.
Leeds City Council's East planning panel were expected to give the go ahead to the plans by Banks Developments after the scheme was recommended for approval at yesterday's meeting.
But more than two years of dogged campaigning finally paid off for members of pressure groups Residents Against Greenbelt Exploitation (Rage) and Yorkshire Against New Coal (Yanc) when the panel blocked the scheme.
The panel took over two hours to discuss the plans and heard from residents and Banks as well as planning officer Clive Saul who drafted the report.
Residents from Ledsham, Ledston and Fairburn villages spoke out because they feared the scheme would have a devastating impact on their peaceful homes through increased traffic and noise and could affect the cherished nearby nature reserve.
But Mr Saul told the panel he thought issues raised by objectors had been addressed by the applicants.
And Mr Saul said: "From experience on other similar sites and through the proposals we do feel strongly that any noise, dust and vibration issues can be adequately controlled through conditions and environmental management."
Banks wanted to mine 875,000 tonnes of coal out of the ground on land off Back Newton Lane over the next few years.
They intended to carry out restoration works on the site once mining was completed.
Roy Wilson of Rage spoke passionately to the panel on behalf of residents.
He said: "It would take five years to mine it, just 11 days to burn it and 50 years for the area to recover."
Philip Barker, planning director for Banks told the meeting that Banks intended to establish a community fund to the tune of around 390,000 should the plans go ahead.
He added that the firm had already had calls from people desperate for one of the 41 jobs the plans would create.
He said: "Concluding the scheme would mean benefits not only for the local community and the local economy but also for the local environment in terms of the restoration."
Weakness
But members of the planning panel said they were not convinced and rejected the plans based on the potential impact on the green belt and the Ings as well as potential highways issues.
Speaking after the meeting, an overjoyed Mr Wilson told the YEP: "We are absolutely delighted. It was clear the members saw the weakness of the report."
Banks are now likely to appeal against the council's decision, which would see the plans go to a public inquiry.
Mr Wilson said Rage would attend any inquiry and put their case forward.
A report will now also be drafted to the planning panel in Leeds for their next meeting for the plans to be formally rejected.
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Weather for Leeds
Saturday 11 February 2012
Today
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Temperature: -2 C to 0 C
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