Our 68th Press Release highlights our latest Briefing Note 'The Lounge Issue and the Minorca Application'. It explains the contents of the Briefing Note and explains why it is set to be part of the Investigation into Opencast mining to be broadcast on the BBC Counrtyfile Programme on August 15th.

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PRESS RELEASE            PR 68) 5/8/10                     PRESS RELEASE

THE STATE OF THE LOUNGE SITE IS NO ADVERT FOR UK COAL’S MINORCA SURFACE MINE APPLICATION

A site which has been labelled as ‘derelict’ and an ‘eyesore’ by a Government Planning Inspector is being cited by objectors to UK Coal’s Minorca Surface Mine application as an example of what might lie in store for local people living adjacent to the proposed Minorca site if UK Coal are granted temporary planning permission to opencast for coal and fireclay.

The Minorca Opencast Protest Group, in their latest Briefing Note published today, “The Lounge Issue and the Minorca Application” say

“This Briefing Note outlines the ‘Lounge Issue’ saga, and explains why the current state of the site, labelled ‘derelict’ and an ‘eyesore’ by a Planning Inspector, should be considered as a Material Consideration when determining UK Coal’s Surface Mine Application for Minorca.”  

(The Briefing Note can be downloaded from http://www.leicestershirevillages.com/measham/mopg-briefing-notes-series.html )

After giving some background information on issues to do with Mineral Planning the note recounts the recent history of the site, near Ashby, owned by UK Coal plc and the attempts made, after some difficulty by Leicestershire County Council earlier this year, to get UK Coal to cooperate on working towards being ready to start site restoration for the site, SIX YEARS AFTER WORK WAS MEANT TO HAVE BEEN COMPLETED.

Those living near the Minorca Site fear that they might suffer from years of blight if UK Coal wins the battle to get planning permission to work the site at Minorca, between Swepstone and Measham in Leicestershire. The Note will soon be available to download from mopg.co.uk.

Steve Leary, speaking for MOPG, said

“We see this risk of suffering from an indefinite period of planning blight as a real future threat. Here, four miles away, just off the A511 outside Ashby where people go scrambling on bikes is the site in question. Isn’t this evidence enough that UK Coal plc’s word about what they intend to do with the Minorca Site after the coal is extracted is not to be trusted? Their record at the Lounge Site is deplorable, when, after all the expense of a Public Inquiry and the issuing of an Enforcement Order they still fail to willingly  co-operate with Leicestershire County Council and do all they can to resist honouring their planning obligations. This example goes to show how difficult it is to control the actions of a company once it gains temporary planning permission.

The BBC Countryfile Programme are set to show pictures of the state of the Lounge Site when they broadcast the findings of their Investigation into Opencast Mining on August 15th.

From the perspective of UK Coal the Minorca Site ticks all the right boxes for having real potential as a development site once the coal is out as it is so close to the M 42. Developing sites after their initial use is one of the selling points for investing in UK Coal as the Company keeps reminding it’s investors in its Annual Reports. However the effects of such actions are felt by local people, when the conditions surrounding the initial granting of planning permission that do benefit local people get whittled away as has been the case at Tetron Point in Swadlincote and looks like happening at the Cutacre site in Bolton as the Company seeks to alter the restoration conditions afterwards.

The best thing for local people is not to live with this risk of prolonged planning blight. It they do not want this risk then they should join with us in opposing this application and end this uncertainty about the future use of the site here and now.”

END                      END                      END                END                             END

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS PRESS RELEASE CONTACT:

STEVE LEARY, SPOKESPERSON, MOPG

 tel 05601 767981,                                                                            email steve46leary@googlemail.com

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON MOPG PLEASE GO TO:

http://www.mopg.co.uk  or

http://www.leicestershirevillages.com/measham/minorca-protest.html