Mine firm given deadline to clarify plans

Environmental groups gathered outside the High Court in London ahead of the ruling last year

The company behind quashed plans for the UK's first deep coal mine in more than 30 years has been given a two-week deadline to confirm whether it intends to continue with its proposal.

Planning permission for the mine at Whitehaven, Cumbria, was overturned by the High Court last year following a campaign by environmental groups.

In a letter to West Cumbria Mining (WCM), the government's Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has now requested clarification of the firm's intentions by 26 March as it begins the process of reassessing the application.

WCM has been approached for comment.

The mine was initially approved by the then-government in 2022, but Friends of the Earth and South Lakes Action on Climate Change argued the environmental impact of burning extracted coal had not been taken into account.

At the High Court last September, Mr Justice Holgate described the government's assumption that the mine would not produce a net increase in greenhouse gas emissions, or would be a net zero mine, as "legally flawed".

WCM said at the time it would "consider the implications" of the judgement before commenting further.

'Come clean'

Since then, campaigners have called for the firm to "break its silence".

As it is legally obliged to do, the government began the process for reassessing the application earlier this year and wrote to all interested parties asking for their views.

Friends of the Earth said it met a 27 February deadline to submit its reply but that WCM had "failed to respond".

In its latest letter to WCM, the MHCLG has asked the firm to clarify whether it still intends to pursue the planning application.

Campaigners in Cumbria believe the proposed mine's environmental impact would be damaging

It said Secretary of State Angela Rayner "notes that no representations were received from, or on behalf of, your client".

It continued: "She would be grateful if you could confirm whether you or your client will be making representations on this matter.

"If not, please could you clarify your client's position, and whether your client is intending to pursue the application."

Any comments or representations should be sent by 26 March, it adds.

Friends of the Earth's Tony Bosworth reiterated his call for the firm to "come clean about its intentions".

He said: "Does it still want to the build the Whitehaven mine or not? The government wants an answer and the people of west Cumbria deserve one too.

"It's time to pull the plug on this mine once and for all and focus instead on the crucial task of bringing green jobs to west Cumbria."

The MHCLG declined to comment.