opencast – Coal Action Network

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Update on Secretary of State’s decisions on opencast coal mining

15th March 2019 By coalaction

The Secretary of State agreed to remake a decision regarding the revocation of planning permission for extraction of coal by opencast methods at the Bradley site in the Pont Valley, Durham, by the 25th February 2019. The department agreed that its original decision making process was “flawed” and so it would remake the decision. No […]

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Dewley Hill: Banks plans to destroy it

31st January 2019 By coalaction

**Updated** Banks Group is looking to extract 800,000 tonnes of coal from Dewley Hill, on the outskirts of Newcastle. On 20th February Banks announced they planned to submit an application imminently to Newcastle City Council. The main information we have so far is from a preliminary planning notice was entered to Newcastle Council (this is […]

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Guilty of taking a stand

14th November 2018 By coalaction

Today Judge Harrison found eight people guilty of six accounts of obstruction of the public highway and two accounts of obstruction of a police officer. All were fined and told to pay a victim surcharge varying by income level, plus court costs of £400 each. In total, the eight have to pay a staggering £8,323. […]

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Private prosecution against Banks Group over habitat destruction

29th October 2018 By coalaction

Campaign to Protect Pont Valley has launched a private prosecution against Banks Group for destroying the breeding and resting places of protected Great Crested Newts at Brooms Pond, on the Bradley opencast near Dipton. Update: The first hearing is to be 12th December at Peterlee Magistrates Court. Great Crested Newts are a European Protected Species […]

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Coal Action Network is ten! (Part II 2014-2009)

25th October 2018 By coalaction

We’ve been working with communities against opencast coal mines and UK power stations for a whole decade. To celebrate we’re looking at our achievements a year at a time. Want to help us celebrate? Donate to our legal fund against the last opencast company looking to open new coal extractions – Banks Mining https://chuffed.org/project/justice-pont-valley for […]

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Banks in court trying to get permission to mine at Druridge Bay

19th October 2018 By coalaction

This week Banks Group went to the High Court to try and get a decision made by the Secretary of State for Communities, Housing and Local Government over-ruled on a new opencast extraction near to Druridge Bay in Northumberland. The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) says, “149. Permission should not be given for the extraction […]

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Support court cases against Banks Group

18th October 2018 By coalaction

300 metres from houses at High Stables, Dipton, the habitats of protected species are being destroyed to extract coal; fuelling climate change and lining the pockets of the mining company, Banks Group. We believe we can prove that Banks Group has committed crimes against wildlife, and the government let them continue their destructive project, despite […]

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A long awaited victory against Welsh opencast

3rd October 2018 By coalaction

We did it, Nant Llesg has been saved from the ravages of opencast coal mining! This piece of land which above the villages of Rhymney, Fochriw, Bedlinog, Pontlottyn. Deri, Abertwsswg will not be blown into pieces to be tossed up into the wind and end up down to the valley, inhaled or to turn the […]

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Activist dies in the Hambacher Forest eviction, Germany

3rd October 2018 By coalaction

Coal Action Network has been wanting to write about the death in the Hambacher Forest of activist Steffen Horst Meyn. We haven’t been able to, so will republish the media release from Hambi Bleibt. In solidarity and love with all those who have lost their lives fighting for a better world. “On Wednesday afternoon (20/09/18) […]

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Judge says Banks could have broken the Wildlife and Countryside Act

8th August 2018 By coalaction

On Monday, all five defendants were acquitted of aggravated trespass for actions intended to delay and stop Banks Group accessing land to start an opencast coal mine in the Pont Valley, Durham. The five were in various positions including locking on to arm tubes submerged in concrete, up a tripod and lying in tunnels on […]