LONDON – The British government has refused to allow a new opencast coal mine to be built in northeastern England, the Minister for Local Government said on Friday.
Northumberland County Council agreed last year that developer The Banks Group could extract three-million tonnes of coal by cutting an opencast, or surface mine, near Druridge Bay, Highthorn.
However, Minister Sajid Javid rejected the application on Friday following a public inquiry, government documents show.
"The scheme would have an adverse effect on greenhouse gas emissions and climate change of very substantial significance, which he gives very considerable weight in the planning balance," the government report, rejecting the application said.
Britain plans to phase-out coal use at its power stations by 2025 as a part of its efforts to meet its climate targets, and is part of an international alliance pushing other countries to do the same.
Environmentalists had criticised the plans for a new mine in Britain, saying it would destroy an area of natural beauty and that extracting more coal is at odds with international pledges to reduce greenhouse gas emissions under the Paris climate pact.
Proponents of the project have argued it could bring much needed jobs to an economically deprived part of the country.
No one from Banks Group was immediately available to comment.
The company previously said Highthorn could employ 100 people and generate almost 50-million pounds in related contracts and other benefits to the community.
Britain has a legally binding target to cut emissions of harmful greenhouse gases, such as those produced by fossil-fuel-based power plants, by 80% from 1990 levels by 2050,
It has also signed up to the international Paris agreement to curb emissions.