The government will defend its refusal of planning permission for a highly destructive opencast coal mine at Druridge Bay in Northumberland.
The government was faced with a legal challenge by the Banks Group, the firm behind the plans for the mine, but the government have said in court papers that Banks’ arguments are “unarguable” and that permission should be refused.
Sajid Javid, who was Communities Secretary at the time of the decision, turned down the planning application in March, citing that “overall the scheme would have an adverse effect on greenhouse gas emissions and climate change of very substantial significance”. The Government has submitted papers to the High Court indicating that it will contest this legal challenge from the mining group.
Tony Bosworth, Friends of the Earth campaigner, said:
“It is very welcome news that the government has decided to stand by its decision to protect Druridge Bay from a new opencast coal mine, and not allow Northumberland’s coastline to be peeled back for exploitation.
“The government can now finish the job by saying no to all opencast coal mines. For the community at Druridge Bay and others across the country, the jobs of the future are in renewables, rather than the dying opencast industry.”
