*** ONLINE PROTECTORS, WE NEED YOU NOW ***
Rainton and Tynedale Roadstones, part of MGL Group, are in the process of tarmacking the access road for the opencast site.
Although Banks Group have contracted the MGL Group it is unlikely that they are fully aware of the nature of the site and the public feeling around it. Once companies realize what they are involved in they often choose to withdraw.
For this reason, we need you to contact MGL Group and ask them to stop working for Banks Group. If you have used MGL Group (Rainton or Tynedale Roadstone) yourself or were planning to use them, this is powerful and worth mentioning.
We’d suggest keeping it polite and friendly as they may not be aware of what kind of project they are taking part in or how people feel about it.
If they respond to you, please let us know on Facebook or by emailing protectpontvalley@gmail.com.
Call them on – 0191 267 3014 / 0191 383 9900
Email them on – enquiries@mglgroup.co.uk
Twitter – https://twitter.com/TheMGLGroup
Here’s an email template you can use as a guide when contacting them – if you have time please adapt it to make it more personal.
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Dear []
It has come to my attention that your company is involved as a supplier to Banks Group opencast site in Pont Valley, County Durham. I would like to bring it to your attention that your company is supplying a controversial company involved in a highly disputed project of open cast coal mining in 2018.
Banks Group have already been in their preparatory work in breach of several environmental and planning conditions. First, they have ignored evidence that shows the existence of a population of endangered and protected species, the great crested newt, therefore committing a wildlife crime by destroying their habitat. Second, on Friday 18th May Banks Group claimed to have triggered their planning permission despite not yet completing the building of an access road, which was an agreed condition to ensure the safety of road users and pedestrians.
This shows Banks Group to be an irresponsible and unprincipled company, but furthermore, their intention to opencast mine Pont Valley will have huge repercussions. It will tear up the landscape and destroy the rare and diverse ecology of flora and fauna found in Pont Valley. The release of dust and diesel fumes will also have huge impacts on the health of the local community. For these reasons, Durham Council rejected plans for this opencast three times alongside a thirty year locally-led campaign, which now has the support of the Durham’s Miners Association. Moreover, in the face of climate change, we need to keep coal in the ground as it is a hugely polluting fossil fuel that even our government has committed to phasing out by 2025.
For more information, please visit:
www.pontvalleynet.co.uk
www.coalaction.org.uk
I can assure you that this company does not have the support of the local community and is also strongly opposed nationally. With consideration to a world-wide view of moving towards green energy; I am sure you can understand why the actions of this company are so controversial. I would therefore respectfully ask you to reconsider your involvement with Banks Group and any other company that does not follow a positive environmental ethos.
There are many companies each day choosing to pull out of supplying such projects and I ask if you would find the courage and self- respect to follow their lead. There are times when we as individuals and as group participants need to make a stand and put the greater good before profit.
Yours Faithfully,
