Closed petition Stop Opencast Mining Near Rural Communities

Closed on 28 February 2013

Approval has just been granted for an opencast mine to go ahead in the small rural village of Halton-Lea-Gate in Northumberland. The villagers and surrounding community are devastated having lost a 13 year battle to prevent opencast mining in the area. The mining will literally take place only 17m from the nearest house and 300m from the boundary of an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in the North Pennines. If this mine is allowed to go ahead it will set a precedent for similar mining to take place in other rural communities throughout the country. Apart from the environmental impact, this mine will cause at least four years of misery for local residents most of whom live in the area because of the peace, beauty and tranquillity it offers.
We want opencast mining made illegal within close proximity to rural communities. We also want small local communities to have a voice and democracy to be upheld when the majority are in opposition to such devastating disruption to their lives.