PACT-Protecting And Conserving Together: More News

Neath/Port Talbot Planning Officers have recommended refusal. Planning meeting for final decision is on 29th January .

The company will probably appeal against the decisions of the councils if they go against them.

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We’ve had opencast mining in our community for almost 60 years. The most recent work started six years ago. In spring 2005, an application to extend the site by 51 hectares to the west was put forward by the mining company, Celtic Energy Ltd. This would have been through parts of ancient woodland and could have had an effect on biodiversity.The existing mine looks absolutely horrific. It’s a huge, black hole which looks like a moonscape. The mine is in the valley so you can see it from all directions - from the motorway to the sand dunes.It is also really close to the community. This means the noise and dust created can have a big impact, which makes our area a unique case.When Celtic Energy submitted the application there was a meeting in Bridgend. The public were allowed to attend but not to comment. That’s where I met other residents who were against the plan and together we set up PACT – Protecting and Conserving Together.The strength of public feeling against the mine is incredible. Now hundreds of people are involved. Cardiff Institute of Society of Health and Ethics to carried out a health impact assessment of the proposed extension on people living in the area. Their research came to the conclusion that the negative aspects of expansion would outweigh the positive. The report said;
“The loss of amenity, visual impact, nuisance dust, noise and pollution are strong arguments against further open casting close to this community.”
But health is not an issue that has to be taken into account in planning at the moment. This needs to change because, the way things are, councils can just pick and choose what they want to take out of something like a health impact assessment.I don’t think there is a balance between industry and the needs of the people. Legislation on dust and noise is all geared up to help the industry. This means it doesn’t matter how much residents complain, because whenever noise or dust levels are measured they seem to be deemed OK. That’s why we’re calling for tighter legislation.Last year Celtic Energy withdrew their expansion plans. But that was not the end of it.They resubmitted, withdrawing their original plan to rip out the ancient woodland and divert the river. They also put in an application for a time extension of another year for the existing site. No time extension has ever been refused.
The new application is being decided at the moment.

PACT-Protecting And Conserving Together

Saturday 26 January 2008

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