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Campaign victory over coal mine plan
A COMMUNITY campaign against plans for an opencast coal mine near a West Yorkshire nature reserve has ended in a victory for residents.
Villagers and councillors argued that mining 850,000 tonnes of coal and 200,000 tonnes of other minerals could potentially damage the nearby Fairburn Ings nature reserve.
People living in Ledston and other villages were worried about noise, dirt and the impact of of HGVs and have fought the plans for three years. Climate change campaigners joined the protest, saying coal-burning was damaging the environment.
Yesterday members of a Leeds Council rejected the plans, saying they were not convinced that Fairburn Ings would be safe from a 65m deep mine.
The council's own officers had recommended the plans be approved, saying that RSPB, the charity which runs Fairburn Ings, had not objected to the mine and neither had two other bodies, the Environment Agency and Natural England.
Residents cheered in the council chamber as the plan was rejected.
Kippax and Methley Coun Keith Wakefield, who does not sit on the planning panel, said: "This is a fantastic outcome for local people, who have campaigned tirelessly for the last three years. This mine have caused massive environmental damage to a very special landscape.
"We have said from the start this development was not right for the area. Over 1,500 local people objected to the opencast mine and I am delighted that they have finally got the result they deserve."
Coun James Lewis said: "It would have caused extensive environmental harm, and massive amounts of traffic – not only for Ledston but also for the surrounding villages of Kippax and Allerton Bywater. Should any similar plan be put forward again residents can be assured they will continue to have our support."
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Weather for Yorkshire
Saturday 11 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -2 C to 1 C
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