Sunday, 6 January 2008

Ancient woodland


Hafod Heulog Woodland'Ancient woodland can never be replaced and yet it faces so many threats. Securing no further loss of ancient woodland is a vast and urgent task that we take very seriously.By planting new native woodland where it counts, we want to fulfil our vision of a stunning woodland landscape, teeming with wildlife. In doing so, we can create a better future for generations to come.''


The Woodland Trust' magazine.-- Back to the future article---July 2005
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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.

About Me

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)