This morning (17/04/18) a European Protected Great Crested Newt was found on the land where Banks Group plans to start a new opencast coal extraction in the next seven weeks.
Banks Group have claimed that there are no newts on the site and that last summer a licensed ecologist surveyed the site. Banks told the first Community Liaison meeting in February that they consulted with Natural England and that they did not need a licence. However, Natural England and Durham County Council have told the Campaign to Protect Pont Valley that they do not have a copy of this report.
However, today’s finding shows that there are Great Crested Newts on the site. Great Crested Newts are a European Protected Species and as such a license is required from Natural England to destroy their habitat.
UK Coal carried out newt surveys in 2007, 2011 and 2014 all of which found Great Crested and smooth newts.
Mike Brand from Pont Valley Protection Camp said, “Today we found a protected Great Crested Newt at the Pont Valley, a beautiful part of countryside threatened by a new open cast mine, a vital and diverse wetland habitat, a home to rare species which would now be being destroyed by Banks Group if campaigners were not taking direct action to stop work beginning on an access road. Considering that Banks Group have a very tight deadline to finish building the access road and start digging by 3rd June, it seems very convenient that they argue there are no protected Great Crested Newts and thus would not have to take time consuming measures to ensure their safety whilst their habitat is destroyed for the open cast.”
Mike continues, “Today’s news shows without doubt that endangered species would be killed if an opencast were to happen here. Unless Banks Group want to commit a wildlife crime, they must conduct a current and full newt survey and obtain an updated license before starting any work. Banks Group simply cannot be trusted. This shows their total disregard for nature, alongside climate change and concerns of the local community.”
This application to opencast at the Bradley site was applied for by UK Coal, a now defunct mining company. UK coal have built four new newt ponds just off the site as they had expected to translocate Great Crested Newts from the site before they started work.
A pretty rural village, Mencherep, lies beside a lake in the Kuzbass region of Russia. It is the site of a great victory against a foe which has been consuming this area and its people for decades. The village has just been saved from a vast opencast coal mine starting on its doorstep. This is a monumental decision by a court in coal country, Kuzbass, Siberia.
Planning permission had already been granted to allow mining company SPS to start a new mine beside the village. Now a the court has stopped the mine from being started. Environmental group Ecodefense and lawyers group – Team 29 brought the case to victory in the court.
Land which had been forcibly taken from its owners to enable the mine to start will be returned. Local people had campaigned against the mine, because they know exactly what it means to live next to huge opencast coal extractions as much of their region has already been dug up. Nearby towns and villages have been displaced as mines bigger than one can easily imagine have expanded covering everything around them with dust and fumes.
The Kuzbass region of Russia is an ecological and human rights disaster zone. Russians and indigenous people have lost the access to large swathes of land, their own villages, graveyards and clean air. Coal mining dominates the area, pumping dust into the air which turns the snow black in winter and stops people from fishing in rivers which now contain clouds of toxic coal dust.
When I met with members of the community in Mencherep at the end of 2017 they were desperate to stop their small, beautiful corner of Kuzbass becoming like their neighbours. Their fight has been worth it, they have won.
This shows a turning point in the Kuzbass’ battle against the coal giants. Coal has been king here for so long, the local population have been forced to be its servants. The only jobs are in the open and deep mines which destroy their health and remove the capacity of their once fertile land to support them without buying food transported from other cleaner places.
Russia has a poor reputation for human rights. Democracy is not guaranteed. Big business is prioritised over the populations basic needs, yet against all this, a small environmental group and committed lawyers have won. This should inspire people the world over.
Yet in Mencherep life can now continue next to the colloquially named Belovo Sea, an artificial lake which gives the village a beach feel, thousands of miles from the sea. Farmers can tend their crops, feed their families and animals and a embattled community can now get on with their lives without the threat of big mining and ill health. For many other isolated Siberian communities the battles continue to regain a little dignity and a healthy life.
This morning (10/03/18) Secretary of State for Communities, Sajid Javid and his colleagues were greeted with a life-size statue depicting the Secretary of State ‘turning a blind eye’ to the imminent expansion of opencast coal mining in the UK. 
The statue’s creators, Art Rise Up, said they were inspired to create the work and present it to Mr Javid after visiting the Pont Valley in County Durham, where local residents and national campaign organisations including 38 Degrees are contesting an imminent new opencast coal mine, set to go ahead this spring.
The collective Art Rise Up, in a statements on their facebook page says ‘This is how Sajid Javid will be remembered if he does not step in now to stop all new opencast coal mines; as someone who failed to prevent permanent damage to communities and the environment they depend on, all for the benefit of dirty fossil fuel companies. With the use of a critical neoclassical bust, we intend to underline the responsibility of governments and power figures in handling the Climate Crisis. A call for politicians to re-think the meaning of providing community welfare beyond exploitative models.‘
In February a petition saw over 88,000 people urge Javid to use his powers under the Town and Country Planning Act to revoke the permit for opencast coal extraction, held by Banks Group. Banks Group announced they had acquired the permit to mine at Bradley in the Pont Valley from the liquidated company UK Coal, and intended to start opencasting in spring 2018. UK Coal had secured permission in 2015 after a 30 year battle with local people over the proposals who previously defeated the proposals at three public inquiries.
On the grounds of climate change, Javid last month refused a separate planning application for opencast coal extraction in Druridge Bay, Northumberland, lodged by the same company.
Banks Group’s application to mine at Highthorn, beside Druridge Bay was approved by Northumberland County Council in summer 2016 but was called in by Sajid Javid who refused the application after an inquiry on the basis of climate change, landscape and heritage site removal.
Anne Harris of Coal Action Network commented, ‘Opencast coal hurts communities and causes climate change, no matter where it is dug up and burned. If Javid is serious about upholding the UK’s climate commitments then he must urgently revoke Banks’ permit to opencast the Pont Valley.’
In the absence of a response from Mr Javid, local residents and activists launched a direct action camp to prevent Banks Group from entering the site to start the opencast mine. The camp has prevented the preparatory work starting since 19th March. Durham County Council planned roadworks schedule shows 19th March Banks Group intending to build the access road to the proposed site on the A692.
Thomas Davison, a local resident living 300 metres from the contested land, said ‘After over 30 years of successfully fighting through the planning system we’re now resorting to petitioning the Secretary of State as well as establishing a protection camp in the Pont valley as a form of peaceful direct action.
‘The Pont valley provides far more to this community than opencast coal extraction ever could. As children we grew up here with rich wildlife to explore on our doorsteps and a wonderfully beautiful setting for our working lives. So much history and so many stories have been shared between those who have come out in support of the camp. The valley is a huge part of the community’s identity. Sajid Javid must do what’s right for communities, a community that has always said no to opencast – that’s his job.’
Laura Pidcock, Labour MP for North West Durham pledged her support for the ‘Campaign to Protect Pont Valley’, and has requested an urgent meeting with Mr Javid.
The artists behind the statue are members of Arts Rise Up, a collective which aims to merge art and activism. Our purpose is to tackle political and social issues of our times using art forms such as Performance, Fine Arts and Multimedia. We intend to embody a plea for change, supporting key campaigns with critical artwork.
Sajid Javid sculpture, has been conceived in collaboration with The Nave, a community of creatives promoting social consciousness.
Living on the protection camp, against a new opencast coal extraction is thrilling. Everyday new people turn up and bring new insights, food, camp supplies and energy to the camp. There is a constant stream of media enquiries, beeps of support and work to be done.
On Tuesday 27th March the camp was taken to Newcastle court where Banks Group was given a possession order. We have been living in the top field, where Banks plan to start an access road which will then enable them to start ripping apart the land at Bradley. It has to start extraction work, after having completed the access road by the 3rd June. We are doing everything they can to delay them.
Banks Group wasn’t expecting our defence to their application for a possession order, nor for us to have been organised enough to have a lawyer representing us. We didn’t manage to get a significant adjournment, which had been our intention, from the court case. However, we certainly made them sweat, while they ran out to their office on the other side of town to grab their missing evidence.
The session was long enough for Banks to be able to solve the issues we highlighted with their case against us, as the court was booked for ninety minutes. The hearing took place in a small court room despite the large number of ‘persons unknown’ living at the camp so not everyone could attend.
The court ruling has no bearing on the opencast itself, only the legal status of the protection camp in the fields. Planning permission was given in June 2015, after a second planning inquiry for this application. Coal Action Network, several local groups and twenty five local people wrote to the Secretary of State for Communities, Sajid Javid in February, asking him to revoke planning permission. The situation with regards to coal in the UK is significantly different now to when planning permission was granted. 
On the day campers were ordered to leave the land owned by the local farmer, a new camp was set up, called “On the Verge.” It’s located on a wide grass verge immediately outside the original camp. This means we continue to have a visible presence and are in the spot where Banks are likely to widen the road for the protected right hand turn into the opencast compound. The land doesn’t belong to the farmer and we are very clear that we will leave this site, taking all structures with us, on the 4th June 2018 once the planning permission has lapsed.
Less than 7% of electricity came from coal in 2017. Two power station have announced closure this year already. The UK government wants to be seen as world leaders, through the Powering Past Coal Alliance and is going to phase-out coal by 2025. The Paris Agreement showed that decisive action is needed to address climate change and coal is the biggest historical cause of global warming. All of this runs counter to starting a new opencast extraction in the Pont Valley.
Sajid Javid refused Banks Group permission to opencast close to Druridge Bay last week (23/03/18). The decision letter says that Secretary of State gave “very considerable weight” to greenhouse gas emissions that would result from controversial coal mine at Druridge Bay. Druridge was refused on the basis of climate change and landscape value, reasons which are equally applicable at Bradley. Sajid Javid can and should use powers under section 100 of the Town and Country Planning Act to revoke planning at Bradley.
How can you help:
The planning inspectorate has refused planning permission to Provectus who applied to mine at Hilltop, very close to homes at Old Tupton, Claycross and Holmgate!
Monday’s (5th March) excellent news was welcomed by local campaigners and people across the country who are resisting fossil fuels and climate change.
It has been a six year battle, with many delays over planning hearings and a planning inquiry at the end of last year (2017).
For more details see the local community campaign, Hilltop Action Group’s website.
Well done to Hilltop Action Group all those who fought so hard to stop this area being destroyed for a short burst of an outdated fuel.
UPDATE: The camp has moved again, details to follow.
Do you want to help us to protect a beautiful valley, heritage mine workings, support a local community and stop fossil fuel extraction?
On Friday 2nd March the Pont Valley Protection Camp was set up almost opposite Brooms church, on the A692 near the junction with the A693.
Local residents and people from further afield have spoken with an ecologist and sensitively constructed defenses and living structures. Come and visit.
This is an active camp against Banks Groups’ intended opencast coal extraction. Please come and visit for a cup of tea, a day or come and stay.
Banks Group and their hired thugs – bailiffs and Durham Constabulary evicted the field camp and On the Verge on the 19th and 20th April. The campaign continues.
What have Banks done so far?
Banks have removed most of the trees and an ancient hedgeline from where it plans to build the access road. This is the land where the camp lies.
Banks say they wanted to work further on the access road at the end of March, in late April they started to prepare the access road.
Road issues
The A692, has been blocked three times in the week to the 6th March by utility issues and a broken down car, twice needing traffic lights. Each time causing delays back to the Jolly Drovers roundabout and the junction with the A693. If Banks start to work on their access road then there will be huge traffic disruption, if Banks starts coaling there would be an increase of 64 HGV movements on the road a day.
Community resistance
Coal companies have been trying to extract coal by opencast from this area for a long time, at least 30 years. Until 2015 all applications were stopped as the value of the landscape was seen as greater than the value of the coal. In June 2015 a planning inspector wrongly granted permission for coal extraction.
Banks Group said in January 2018 that they intend on extracting coal from Bradley. Commencement of coaling has to happen by the 3rd of June or Planning permission become void. A 86,806 signature petition was handed in to Sajid Javid, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, to demand that he uses his powers under the Town and Country Planning Act to revoke permission for a new opencast coal mine, ‘Bradley’. Local residents and groups have written to Sajid Javid to ask him to revoke planning permission and are awaiting an answer.
Ecology
The sites historic mine means that there is a range of habitats which have become ponds where great crested newts and others live, old bell pits provide nesting sites for ground nesting birds, intact hedges and mature trees support a wealth of wildlife. Spending just a couple of days at the camp means you can see snipe, badgers, buzzards and more. The recent snow has shown the frequency of wildlife in the area, yet Banks claim there are no longer great crested newts for them to translocate on the site. To loose the ecology here would be a travesty.
Camp infrastructure
The camp now has basic facilities for living. If you are coming to stay, its best to either let us know in advance (info@coalaction.org.uk) or bring a tent. Everyone needs to bring their own bedding.
Visiting
The camp is now at Pontop Hall, Dipton, County Durham, DH9 9ED. The track to the camp comes off Front Street at St John the Evangelist Church, Front Street, Dipton.
There are buses to Dipton from Stanley (number 6), Newcastle(X70) and Consett (X70).
What to bringing
The site is muddy, please where wellies and appropriate clothes for the weather. If you’re staying overnight please be aware that we are on an exposed site, so bring good bedding, clothing and personal items.
Wish list
The climate defenders at the camp need seasoned wood, walking socks, any spare thermals, extra clean second hand sleeping bags/bedding, straw and pallets, tarpaulins, carpet, building materials, batteries (AA & AAA), and vegan food. (Vegan food is vegetarian, but also without eggs, milk or honey, thanks.)
Most importantly they need you!
Come and support them to save the beautiful and biodiverse Pont valley and keep the coal in the ground – this is our front line in stopping climate change! https://www.coalaction.org.uk/2018/02/banks-begin-clearing-hundred-year-old-trees-at-bradley
Keep in touch
Check out the camp’s facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/211602879584065
Coal Action Network’s facebook and Twitter and this website for updates.
Public outcry at imminent new opencast coal mines amid ‘coal phase-out’
Uniting to fight and love together
[3] https://www.coalaction.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Ditch-Coal-Report.pdf
[4] http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-42902240
For Immediate Release 27.02.2018
Protesters scale trees in sub-zero temperatures in bid to stop Bradley opencast
Interviews (local residents): Drummond Orr 07788660738 | Patrick Carr 07812949420
Photo requests 07980543654
Photo opportunity: A692 between Dipton and Leadgate (junction A693/A692, Brooms Road Ends) from 7am.
Today 13 people staged a tree-climbing protest in sub-zero temperatures at a contested opencast coal mine site near Dipton and Leadgate, County Durham. They blocked access to the site following the felling of trees and 200 year-old hedges two days ago.
The protest comes after a petition calling for intervention from Sajid Javid MP, Minister for Communities and Local Government, gained over 84,000 signatures in under two weeks.
The mine is one of two in Northern England that the mining company Banks Group intend to work this spring despite recent affirmations that the UK will end coal use for electricity by 2025.
At dawn, two protesters scaled the last remaining tree left standing in the path of the proposed access road to what could be the first new open cast coal mine in the UK since 2014.
Drummond Orr, who lives less than 300 metres from the site, said, ‘I fully support this protest. We have been protesting for over thirty years and been through all the legal processes and we haven’t been listened to. We need to bring pressure on Sajid Javid to revoke the permit for this mine. He must not let half a million tonnes of coal be mined out of the ground despite the government’s commitment to climate change. This is about much more than just us residents.”
Anne Harris, of the Coal Action Network, said “It is time we moved past brutal scarring methods of energy production. The government needs to show strong leadership and create a meaningful coal phase-out which includes stopping new opencast coal mines and restoring existing ones.”
The protesters, which include local campaigners, cited dust and noise pollution, loss of biodiversity and climate change as reasons for attempting to stop the work.
Liam Carr, local resident said “The sensitive ecology of the site has been disregarded by the developers. The way these habitats have been destroyed without consultation is at odds with Banks’ assurance that they would liaise with local people during the work.”
One protester had come from the Hambacher Forest in Germany, where a long-running tree-climbing occupation of ancient woodland is severely delaying the expansion of an opencast coal mine. She said, ‘We came all this way to support people in Country Durham because it is all one struggle against profit-driven companies who are accelerating climate change and destroying biodiversity.’
Banks have until early June to begin groundwork on the site in order to work the permit to opencast which they acquired from UK Coal, who liquidated in 2015.
The protesters say they will stay for as long as it takes to prevent the mine from starting.
ENDS
Notes to editors
Banks Group is awaiting decision of Secretary of State by 5th March on their proposal to mine at ‘Highthorn’, Druridge Bay, Northumberland.
Today I got to visit for the first time the beautiful place, called Bradley by Banks mining company, that lies to the south west edge of the village of Dipton. Snow fell, feet frozen, we got down on our knees to meet some of the rare plants that make up part of this diverse habitat. Plants with hairs to survive the cold, low to the ground, finding a home in these bell pits. Plants that support the rare butterflies that hopefully will have a habitat come the summer. We felt the silt under which the great crested newts are hibernating. 
I saw the trees and hedges that Banks felled just this morning. Short and bent over with the cold pennine winds, some have been here for as many generations as the families. For humans who get their food and shelter from bricks and supermarkets, it is easy to dismiss the significance but for some of the birds on this site, these hedges are food and shelter.
I met and listened to Lea who told me about he use to go pond dipping in the pond as a child, he told me about the routes the newts would make, the woods down below where his grandfather and father worked as gamekeepers and learnt how to work with the foxes rather than needing to shoot them. I got a sense of how everything, contributes to binding the place together. 
I also felt that words fail to convey what is really at stake in this 11th hour fight to stop Bradley – how peoples lives are entwined with this place.
This evening at the Dipton Social Club we heard from Tom who played in the woods as a kid, dressing up as animals. We heard from Liam who said that even though his family have attachment to the area to be mined, and he opposes it for these reasons, that the site should be protected. We watched a preview of After Open Cast, a short film which talks about how people are fighting for restoration for opencast coal sites in South Wales how their struggle for justice has meant that all new mines must put money in a pot for restoration before they start digging.
We ended the evening sharing ideas and planning together about what to do now, given that Banks have began to work the site and we are still waiting to heard from the Secretary of the State.
Out walking around the site, i was so awed by the stories, history, diversity that I didn’t feel my feet turn to ice and my nose start t burn as the wind and snow came. I feel sad at the thought of this land being ripped up to be opencast mined, and I have only just met it. I cant begin to imagine what it is like for people whose families have made their home here for generations.
Earlier this week (13/02/18) 25 residents from County Durham, Pont Valley Network, Derwent Valley Protection Society, and the Burnopfield Environmental Awareness Movement and Coal Action Network appealed to Sajid Javid, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, in a letter [Download letter] urging him to use his powers under the Town and Country Planning Act [1] to revoke Banks’ ‘Bradley’ permit.
You can support this action by local people by signing our petition or contributing to our crowd funder to raise the legal cost associated with the letter.
The more we show Sajid Javid that there is popular agreement that Banks can’t opencast at Bradley, the more likely it is he will revoke planning permission. If you can share the crowdfunder and petition through social media and emails we are likely to reach our targets.
Thank you
