In Wales( Kenfig Hill ) we have been fighting an opencast extension for 3 years. The councils have now refused the extension but the opencast company will probably appeal.
The present opencast site Known as Margam/Parc Slip extension, Cefn Cribbwr, has already had a two year time extension and is strongly opposed by the combined communities living with its ongoing exploitation.( There was supposed to be no further opencast applications by the company!) The opencast has degraded the environment, destroyed the local amenity and heritage, cut off communities that have to live with the ongoing exploitation. The environment has been degraded, local amenity removed and heritage sites are lost forever.
The communities, traditionally so closely linked, have been severed and are cut off from the countryside. Access roads have been blocked, footpath country walks and bridleways have been removed. The visual eyesore has been a massive depressing view for the population of Cefn Cribbwr for far too long already. The opencast detracts from potentially suitable inward investment, particularly leisure, tourism and countryside activity plans.
The present site has impacted on the quality of life of residents. People cannot enjoy the outdoor features and countryside and the use of the locality for fresh air and recreation as part of a healthy life style is reduced. The areas green gym and breathing space is disappearing. The constant pollution into the atmosphere and environment of coal dust, soil dust, nuisance dust, industrial diesel fumes, noise ,vibration, and blasting are putting peoples health and well-being at risk.
The countryside Green Wedge has had its character ruined and the agricultural features have become industrialised. The biodiversity and environment have been vandalised.
Comments
gballuk, on February 6, 2008, said:
In Wales( Kenfig Hill ) we have been fighting an opencast extension for 3 years. The councils have now refused the extension but the opencast company will probably appeal. The present opencast site Known as Margam/Parc Slip extension, Cefn Cribbwr, has already had a two year time extension and is strongly opposed by the combined communities living with its ongoing exploitation.( There was supposed to be no further opencast applications by the company!) The opencast has degraded the environment, destroyed the local amenity and heritage, cut off communities that have to live with the ongoing exploitation. The environment has been degraded, local amenity removed and heritage sites are lost forever. The communities, traditionally so closely linked, have been severed and are cut off from the countryside. Access roads have been blocked, footpath country walks and bridleways have been removed. The visual eyesore has been a massive depressing view for the population of Cefn Cribbwr for far too long already. The opencast detracts from potentially suitable inward investment, particularly leisure, tourism and countryside activity plans. The present site has impacted on the quality of life of residents. People cannot enjoy the outdoor features and countryside and the use of the locality for fresh air and recreation as part of a healthy life style is reduced. The areas green gym and breathing space is disappearing. The constant pollution into the atmosphere and environment of coal dust, soil dust, nuisance dust, industrial diesel fumes, noise ,vibration, and blasting are putting peoples health and well-being at risk. The countryside Green Wedge has had its character ruined and the agricultural features have become industrialised. The biodiversity and environment have been vandalised.