A new Coal Mine?
The proposal for a new deep coal mine in West Cumbria will be considered at a Public Inquiry. This is exactly what SLACC wanted to happen, and an excellent outcome of SLACCs Pre Action Protocol letter threatening Jenrick with a Judicial Review.
The Public Inquiry is being arranged by the Planning Inspectorate . It will be presided over by a Planning Inspector called Stephen Normington and is scheduled to start on the 7th September. The Inspector will write a report and send it to the Secretary of State at the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government who will make a decision whether to refuse or approve the application.
A Public Inquiry can provide a sensible balance between national, international and local issues. Expert evidence can be submitted and Planning Inspectors are qualified to establish any areas of agreement, and ask the relevant questions. The processes for public involvement will be well publicised and in normal times the hearings are open to the public .
South Lakes Action on Climate Change and Friends of the Earth are both “Rule 6 Parties” and each have a number of excellent “Expert Witnesses” who will provide more evidence to support different aspects of the case.
The County Council is taking a “neutral stance” so there would be no challenge of WCM’s case without our unrelenting hard work. Given that Alok Sharma, on behalf of the UK Government says that the “Last hope over climate crisis requires end to coal”, it is astonishing that this task is being left to two charities, and is reliant on public donations!
Scroll down below the picture to view some key documents from: Cumbria County Council; South Lakes Action on Climate Change ( SLACC); and West Cumbria Mining(WCM). More documents from Cumbria CC and from WCM can be found on the County Council website at https://www.cumbria.gov.uk/planning-environment/DC/dc.asp.
Latest Post
- Public Inquiry process “kicks off”.The “first skirmish” in the Coal Mine Public Inquiry played out at the (virtual) Case Conference on Monday 7th June. The Planning Inspector, Mr Stephen Normington, listened to the views of the main parties on procedures and main issues for the Inquiry. One key “takeaway” from a SLACC perspective is that we are lucky to …
Key Public Inquiry Documents
The Planning Inspector for the Public Inquiry is reading all the submissions to the Inquiry and has issued his notes on how the Inquiry will proceed. You can read it by clicking on the relevant link below.
Support our Fundraising Appeal
SLACC is now trying to reach our £50,000 CrowdJustice fundraiser target by the end of June. This would allow our Trustees to commit to some essential expenditure. Please spread the word to your friends and networks.
Cumbria County Council’s Reports
West Cumbria Mining Documentation
The application can still be viewed at http://planning.cumbria.gov.uk/ Application Ref No: 4/17/9007.