Additional coal recovery at Shotton gets go-ahead
A further 2 million tonnes of coal to be removed from the site with extraction set to run until 2016
PLANS to extract an additional 2 million tonnes of coal from Shotton surface mine in Northumberland have been approved by the county council.
Banks Mining, part of the Banks Group, had submitted proposals to extend the life of the mine, which is located on the Blagdon Estate to the west of Cramlington, by two years to allow the additional coal to be recovered.
Northumberland County Council’s planning committee reviewed and approved the proposals after acknowledging that operations at the site achieve high environmental standards. Extraction will now finish in 2016, with full restoration of the site to be completed by 2018.
Banks say the additional work will not require any land outside the existing site to be mined or any increase in daily traffic movements.
Mark Dowdall, the company’s environment and community director, said: ‘The Shotton mine has now been operating very successfully for almost three years. We are very pleased that the members of the council’s planning committee have agreed with their planning officer’s recommendation to approve the Shotton scheme enabling Banks to extend the life of this project for a further two years to recover the extra 2 million tonnes of coal that lie within its boundaries.
‘Banks have made a significant investment in south-east Northumberland over more than two decades and are now one of the biggest industrial employers in the area. Gaining approval for these plans means we can maintain our investment in the region and continue to provide employment for our 140 operational employees on site and support for the 150 other people employed by Banks Mining in the North East.’
PLANS to extract an additional 2 million tonnes of coal from Shotton surface mine in Northumberland have been approved by the county council.
Banks Mining, part of the Banks Group, had submitted proposals to extend the life of the mine, which is located on the Blagdon Estate to the west of Cramlington, by two years to allow the additional coal to be recovered.
Northumberland County Council’s planning committee reviewed and approved the proposals after acknowledging that operations at the site achieve high environmental standards. Extraction will now finish in 2016, with full restoration of the site to be completed by 2018.
Banks say the additional work will not require any land outside the existing site to be mined or any increase in daily traffic movements.
Mark Dowdall, the company’s environment and community director, said: ‘The Shotton mine has now been operating very successfully for almost three years. We are very pleased that the members of the council’s planning committee have agreed with their planning officer’s recommendation to approve the Shotton scheme enabling Banks to extend the life of this project for a further two years to recover the extra 2 million tonnes of coal that lie within its boundaries.
‘Banks have made a significant investment in south-east Northumberland over more than two decades and are now one of the biggest industrial employers in the area. Gaining approval for these plans means we can maintain our investment in the region and continue to provide employment for our 140 operational employees on site and support for the 150 other people employed by Banks Mining in the North East.’
