Saying 'NO' to Open Cast Mining
Events
- ongoing: visit occupied Prospect Farm - map & directions | wish-list
- 14th July 2008
Noise Demo at UK Coal, near Doncaster
A new open-cast coal mine site is about to get
underway in beautiful Derbyshire. unless we stop it now.
What's going on?
Lodge House site, which is east of the village of the Derbyshire village of Smalley, is one of seven sites that UK Coal is to open-cast. The area is rich with wildlife and backs onto Shipley Country Park. It is about to be devastated, despite objections from local councils, residents and local environmental groups. The Secretary of State granted planning permission in 2007 and work is to commence any day now.
More destruction
to come?
The 122 hectare site will have one million tonnes of coal ripped out over five years and 'returned back to its natural state' according to UK Coal. However, they will not be able to replace ancient edges and mature trees, and they will be able to expand beyond the 122 hectares without needing further permission. Residents were excluded from parts of the planning meeting on grounds of commercial confidentiality, which suggests that the plans may be bigger than UK Coal is letting on.
UK Coal are one of those companies that looks to maximise their profits by raping the land and profiting from it any way they can, after coal extraction - they return the area to business parks, housing and industrial estates. In some cases they return it to farmland and charge the farmers rent, or in low-grade land grow energy crops according to their website. They are even into windpower, but as yet have still not erected a turbine.
Coal is not clean energy and with the new onslaught of proposed power stations, UK Coal are looking to cash in on climate devastation and destruction, unless we stop them.
A dirty fuel, a changing climate
Coal is not clean energy, and with the new onslaught of proposed power stations, UK Coal are looking to cash in on climate devastation and destruction unless we stop them. Burning coal to produce electricity is threatening the global environment and all our futures..
The area is rich with wildlife and backs onto Shipley Country Park; some houses, (the sort of place you dream of living in) have been shuttered up and items like toys, dog kennels and other personal bits remain looking like something from a hurried evacuation from a war zone. UK Coal has stated that the site will be returned to farm land, but they are able to expand beyond the 122 hectares without needing further permission.
To combat open-cast mining a new action group "Leave it in the Ground" has formed, supported by Earth First! with a noise demo on Monday 9th June. Help us send the message loud and clear to UK Coal to leave it in the ground!
Meet:
3:30 at Doncaster train station (or 4pm outside UK Coal).
There will be lifts to UK Coal's HQ - but bring transport if you can.
Noise demo leaflet (includes map of proposed open-cast) - please print and circulate
UK Coal HQ, Harworth Park, Blyth Road, Harworth, Doncaster DN11 8DB
Bring: banners, things to make noise with, food, people, tents, room to give people a lift.If you can't make the demo then you could contact UK Coal directly to let them know what you think: UK Coal Tel: 01302 751751 Fax: 01302 752420.
For more info phone 07852 460871 or email derby(at)earthfirst.org.uk