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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Mining village pit plan approved | Mining village pit plan approved |
| (4 days later) | |
| Controversial plans to opencast 2m tonnes of coal at a former pit village in Northumberland have been approved. | Controversial plans to opencast 2m tonnes of coal at a former pit village in Northumberland have been approved. |
| UK Coal wants to open the mine in Ashington creating 60 jobs, but protesters believe it will spoil the environment and be noisy and dusty. | UK Coal wants to open the mine in Ashington creating 60 jobs, but protesters believe it will spoil the environment and be noisy and dusty. |
| Despite the protests, Northumberland County Council agreed to the planning application on Tuesday. | Despite the protests, Northumberland County Council agreed to the planning application on Tuesday. |
| UK Coal wants to mine at the site in Potland Burn, which is mainly woodland and grassland, over six years. | UK Coal wants to mine at the site in Potland Burn, which is mainly woodland and grassland, over six years. |
| The company first submitted plans for the pit in 2005. | The company first submitted plans for the pit in 2005. |
| Last year the government overruled the refusal of plans to have an opencast mine in Shotton, near Cramlington, and the county council did not want to face a similar challenge by turning down the proposals for Ashington. | Last year the government overruled the refusal of plans to have an opencast mine in Shotton, near Cramlington, and the county council did not want to face a similar challenge by turning down the proposals for Ashington. |
| David Nicholson, chairman of the Wansbeck Initiative, is against the mine. | David Nicholson, chairman of the Wansbeck Initiative, is against the mine. |
| He said: "The mine's total working life is going to be six years, but it doesn't bring new jobs. | He said: "The mine's total working life is going to be six years, but it doesn't bring new jobs. |
| "What it does is get in the way of attracting jobs and creating industry." | "What it does is get in the way of attracting jobs and creating industry." |
| Plans to allow opencast mining in Ashington have brought an angry response from some locals. | Plans to allow opencast mining in Ashington have brought an angry response from some locals. |