Public exhibition for surface mine proposals

Tuesday 01 July 2008

A public exhibition of updated plans for a new surface mine development to the east of Ledston Village in Leeds is set to take place this month.

Banks Mining initially submitted proposals for the Newton Lane site to Leeds City Council at the end of 2006, and has since been working to provide further detail around various points raised in its consultation exercise.

The updated proposals for the project will now go on show to the public at the Fairburn Community Centre between 3pm and 7pm on Wednesday 9 July.

Banks is proposing to mine approximately 875,000 tonnes of coal in just over a five-year period from the Newton Lane site, which would be suitable for use in the Aire Valley power stations

The project would create around 40 local jobs, as well as supporting many others in local supply chain businesses.

Once mining is completed, full restoration of the site would lead to the creation of new footpaths and bridleways, new wetland feature adjacent to the RSPB’s Fairburn Ings Nature Reserve, and ecological and habitat improvements through an extension to Capon Hill Wood.

The Banks Group has worked and restored over 100 surface mines across the UK, including more than 20 sites in Yorkshire, and has a successful track record of delivering environmentally-sensitive schemes.

Banks representatives will be on hand at the exhibition to provide answers to any questions that visitors have and to take feedback from them about the proposed scheme.

Steven Harrison, managing director at Banks Mining, says: “A great deal of work has gone into enhancing our proposals for the Newton Lane site in response to feedback we received from the initial consultation exercise that we carried out.

“We believe we are now putting forward an even stronger proposal for Newton Lane, one which will bring new investment and resources into the local economy, as well as creating a significant number of new jobs.

“The site would provide approximately 875,000 tonnes of secure local coal supplies for electricity generation, and its location, close to the UK’s most important coal fired power stations, would minimise carbon dioxide emissions from transport of the coal produced.

“Our track record in the surface mining industry also makes us very confident that the mine would be worked in an environmentally acceptable way, and we hope that local people will come along to the public exhibition to see what is now being proposed.”

Anyone unable to attend the exhibition can get further information about the Newton Lane proposal by contacting Bob Swainson on 01740 658 500 or via newtonlane@banksdevelopments.com

Last updated: Tuesday 01 July 2008, 11:09 AM