DURHAM (CU)_In December last year, Durham-based developer Banks Group’s proposals to dig a new opencast mine on a green belt land at Dewley Hill, on the outskirts of Newcastle, were thrown out by the city’s planning chiefs after it was concluded that the environmental harm of the development would outweigh any economic benefit.
Although the decision was applauded by green campaigners, the Banks Group bosses claimed the decision to be “outrageous”. Nevertheless, the family owned business has now confirmed that no appeal will be lodged against the council’s verdict, drawing an end a third major blow to the company’s mining operations last year. Banks Group previously failed in bids to set up an opencast site near Druridge Bay, while its plans to extend its Bradley West mine in County Durham was also rejected by councillors.
Announcing the company’s recent decision to not appeal the council’s verdict, Banks’ executive director Gavin Styles said: “Newcastle City Council identified Dewley Hill as the only minerals site in the city last year, and the important and ongoing need of Throckley Brickworks for fireclay would have been met from this site less than a mile away.”
“Despite these facts, and the significant jobs and investment that the project would have brought to the region, we have decided on this occasion not to appeal the decision,” he added.
Accordingly, Styles noted that the company’s mining team is being redirected to explore other opportunities in new areas of mineral extraction and industrial support. “…we have some exciting prospects in place which we expect to see come to fruition in the coming months,” he noted.
In December, following a three-hour hearing, the planning committee of the Newcastle City Council voted unanimously to reject the proposals on the Dewley Hill scheme, a decision which attracted more than 5,000 objections. Nevertheless, City council leader Nick Forbes noted that “the time for mining in our city is over”, as Newcastle continues to accelerate efforts to reach net zero carbon sessions by 2030.
