Coal mine update: Inquiry now ongoing

After much procrastinating and under pressure from local campaigners, the Government finally admitted that the proposed Whitehaven Coal mine requires wider consideration than local planning authorities (Cumbria County Council in this case) are legally permitted to apply. The decision was ‘called in’ by Robert Jenrick (previous Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, since replaced by Michael Gove), and the resulting inquiry is now ongoing.

The inquiry, which began on 7^th September and is expected to last 4 weeks, is viewable online at the Planning Inspectorate’s YouTube channel. For up-to-date and more detailed news please see the website of our friends at South Lakes Action on Climate Change and via their Twitter account.