PLANNING APPLICATIONSRECOMMENDED FOR REFUSAL BY NEATH/PORT TALBOT
'PROPOSED EXTENSION TO EXISTING OPENCAST COAL SITE FOLLOWED BY RESTORATION AND AFTERCARE MANAGEMENT'
MARGAM OCCS, FFORDD Y GYFRAITH, CEFN CRIBWR, BRIDGEND CF32 OBS
CELTIC ENERGY LTD
REASONS;(1)The development would create an intrusion into the landscape which would result in significant harm to the visual amenity and rural character of the area and to visual amenity and would also cause an unacceptable level of impact on the outlook of local residents and therefore is contrary to Policy DC3 of the Draft Minerals Local Plan for West Glamorgan, C1 of the West Glamorgan Structure Plan Review No. 2, E9 of the Draft Port Talbot Local Plan.
(2)The development would result in unacceptable damage to and loss of flora and fauna, habitats and biodiversity and is therefore contrary to Policy EQ5 and EQ6 of the West Glamorgan Structure Plan Review No. 2, DC6 of the West Glamorgan Minerals Local Plan, E9 o the Port Talbot Local Plan, Policy E6 of the Cwmafan, Bryn and Goytre Valley and Rural Margam Local Plan.(3)The proposals would perpetuate opencast activities within the locality and on the existing site for a further minimum period of 7 years, which, added to the previous workings of the Parc Slip, Parc Slip West and Margam Mine (Opencast) developments will result in an unreasonable level of disruption in terms of visual impact, noise, dust, thereby causing unacceptable detrimental cumulative impact on local residents and the surrounding area and is contrary to Policy M3 of the West Glamorgan Structure Plan Review (No. 2) and Policy DC25 of the Deposit Draft Minerals Local Plan for West Glamorgan.
CELTIC ENERGY HAVE SINCE WITHDRAWN THEIR APPLICATION!!!!!!!!
One small victory, but beware of celebrating too soon. The company have said that they will submit another application in the spring for the westward side, avoiding the woodland and river.
Do they intend to destroy the lovely village of Pen Y Bryn????
We must continue our fight. The only acceptable plan from Celtic E nergy would be for them to restore our valley, then get out and stay out!!!
It is worrying that health has not been mentioned in the reasons for refusal. This is the most important reason of all.
The Newcastle Study is fraudelent and outdated and yet has ben used as a bible by councils and opencast companies for every planning application to say that there is little effect on health.
SPEAK TO PEOPLE LIVING CLOSE TO THE SITE.
LOOK AT DOCTORS RECORDS.
READ THE HEALTH IMPACT ASSESSMENT ON THE SITE.
ENVIRONMENT Minister Carwyn Jones haswelcomed the withdrawal of a plan for the opencast mine .Reacting to the news that Celtic Energy has withdrawn proposals for the opencast mine Mr Jones said, "The opencast would have had a hugely detrimental impact on people in the Pyle and Margam areas."I have been working closely with local residents and campaign groups to ensure that their quality of life was not adversely affected by the proposal."
Sunday 6 January 2008
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OUR STORY
We’ve had opencast mining in our community for almost 60 years. The most recent work started six years ago. In spring 2005, an application to extend the site by 51 hectares to the west was put forward by the mining company, Celtic Energy Ltd. This would have been through parts of ancient woodland and could have had an effect on biodiversity.The existing mine looks absolutely horrific. It’s a huge, black hole which looks like a moonscape. The mine is in the valley so you can see it from all directions - from the motorway to the sand dunes.It is also really close to the community. This means the noise and dust created can have a big impact, which makes our area a unique case.Strong public feeling
When Celtic Energy submitted the application there was a meeting in Bridgend. The public were allowed to attend but not to comment. That’s where I met other residents who were against the plan and together we set up PACT – Protecting and Conserving Together.The strength of public feeling against the mine is incredible. Now hundreds of people are involved, but it’s still down to a few of us to do all the organising. Unhealthy situationPACT approached the Cardiff Institute of Society of Health and Ethics to carry out a health impact assessment of the proposed extension on people living in the area. Their research came to the conclusion that the negative aspects of expansion would outweigh the positive. The report said; “The loss of amenity, visual impact, nuisance dust, noise and pollution are strong arguments against further open casting close to this community.”But health is not an issue that has to be taken into account in planning at the moment. This needs to change because, the way things are, councils can just pick and choose what they want to take out of something like a health impact assessment.
I don’t think there is a balance between industry and the needs of the people. Legislation on dust and noise is all geared up to help the industry. This means it doesn’t matter how much residents complain, because whenever noise or dust levels are measured they seem to be deemed OK. That’s why we’re calling for tighter legislation.Last month Celtic Energy withdrew their expansion plans. But we weren’t celebrating because that’s not the end of it. They have also put in an application for a time extension of another year for the existing site. No time extension has ever been refused.
When Celtic Energy submitted the application there was a meeting in Bridgend. The public were allowed to attend but not to comment. That’s where I met other residents who were against the plan and together we set up PACT – Protecting and Conserving Together.The strength of public feeling against the mine is incredible. Now hundreds of people are involved, but it’s still down to a few of us to do all the organising. Unhealthy situationPACT approached the Cardiff Institute of Society of Health and Ethics to carry out a health impact assessment of the proposed extension on people living in the area. Their research came to the conclusion that the negative aspects of expansion would outweigh the positive. The report said; “The loss of amenity, visual impact, nuisance dust, noise and pollution are strong arguments against further open casting close to this community.”But health is not an issue that has to be taken into account in planning at the moment. This needs to change because, the way things are, councils can just pick and choose what they want to take out of something like a health impact assessment.
I don’t think there is a balance between industry and the needs of the people. Legislation on dust and noise is all geared up to help the industry. This means it doesn’t matter how much residents complain, because whenever noise or dust levels are measured they seem to be deemed OK. That’s why we’re calling for tighter legislation.Last month Celtic Energy withdrew their expansion plans. But we weren’t celebrating because that’s not the end of it. They have also put in an application for a time extension of another year for the existing site. No time extension has ever been refused.
About Me
- KENFIGPACT
- The ‘Protecting and Conserving Together’ group (PACT) exists for the benefit and protection of the environment within the local area and is particularly concerned with preventing the expansion of opencast mining. PACT draws its membership mainly from the local communities representing truly local knowledge and concerns that are fundamental to the planning process. The group has many members and many more supporters representing a broad cross-section of society both locally and elsewhere. Its membership and supporters include MPs, AMs, clergy, environmentalists, professionals, economists, wildlife experts and scientists. The opencast impacts upon these three County Boroughs: Cefn Cribwr and Aberbaiden (Ogmore Constituency) Kenfig Hill and Pyle (Bridgend Constituency) Pen-Y-Bryn, Bryndu and Margam ( Margam, Neath/Port Talbot Constituency)
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