Druridge Bay coal mine plans rejected for second time

The mine was planned to lie between Druridge Bay and Widdrington Village

Controversial plans for an opencast coal mine near the Northumberland coast have been rejected by the government for the second time.

Three communities secretaries have now considered Banks Mining's proposals for a site near Druridge Bay.

Friends of the Earth said it was the right decision "with the world staring at catastrophic climate change".

Banks said it meant the region would lose the jobs and investment that the scheme would have provided.

Executive director Gavin Styles said: "We are extremely disappointed that, more than four years after an independent planning inspector recommended that the Highthorn scheme should go ahead, the secretary of state has once again chosen to go against this expert advice."

The plans were originally approved by Northumberland County Council in 2016.

Following a public inquiry, a government planning inspector also recommended consent but the scheme was thrown out by the then communities secretary Sajid Javid in March 2018.

Banks successfully challenged this decision in the High Court and the plans were returned to Mr Javid's successors.

Campaigners 'ecstatic'

The Secretary of State has now rejected the scheme.

The department said the "substantial extent of the landscape harm means that the proposal is still not environmentally acceptable, nor can it be made so by planning conditions or obligations".

However, the decision states it may be challenged in the High Court.

Lynne Gargett, from campaign group Save Druridge, said members were "ecstatic".

"Druridge Bay and the surrounding area will remain as it is, beautiful and tranquil," she said. 

Friends of the Earth campaigner Tony Bosworth said the rejection was "fantastic news for our environment, and a tremendous victory for local campaigners".

"Coal mines must be consigned to the history books if we are going to avoid climate breakdown," he said.