A coal mine application near Whitehaven has been withdrawn with the opposition ‘delighted’ with the decision as Cumbrian MP says ‘backwards plans have been consigned to the rubbish bin.’

West Cumbria Mining, the company behind the application to open the first coal mine in the UK for 30 years decided not to appeal the Supreme Courts ruling from Friday, September 13, 2024, by Justice Holgate.

The ruling came after the Supreme Court’s ruling in the “Finch v Surrey County Council” case, which determined that planning applications for new extraction projects must consider emissions from burning fossil fuels, not just the emissions produced during extraction.

Tony Bosworth, climate campaigner at Friends of the Earth, said: “We’re delighted this long running saga has finally drawn to a close.

“Congratulations to all the brilliant local campaigners who fought so powerfully to stop this mine.

“The previous government should never have given the green light for this highly polluting and unnecessary coal mine in the first place – and West Cumbria Mining should have pulled the plug on it last year when planning permission was comprehensively quashed and coal licenses were refused.

“The focus must now switch to ensuring local people get the green jobs they so urgently need – areas like West Cumbria have been left behind for far too long.”

Whitehaven and Workington MP Josh MacAlister, the member of parliament for where the mine was going to be opened came out in defence of the Coal Authority’s decision.

The MP said: “West Cumbria Mining have finally abandoned their plans to open a coal mine in Whitehaven.

“This follows the decision last year by the independent Coal Authority to reject their coal licence applications.

“The Government was not involved in the decision.

“Their applications were rejected because the Coal Authority could not ‘realistically conclude that the mine is financially viable’ and found that subsidence damage may be caused to land or property in the vicinity of the proposed mine.

“I’ve always said that this project was unlikely to happen. For the Conservatives and Reform, the coal mine was their only plan for our area and yet it was always unlikely to happen.

“They should apologise for dangling the false promise of jobs over the heads of west Cumbrians for so long while offering no alternative plan for jobs and growth.

“I am committed to securing the jobs of the future that we deserve in our area. That’s why I’m working with Cumberland Council, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and the UK Government on a plan to unlock land at Moorside for new nuclear.

“And why the council and I are driving forward ambitious plans for a major expansion of the Port of Workington to secure significant public and private investment and attract new industries.

“These are the sorts of credible opportunities the people of West Cumbria deserve and that I am working flat out to deliver.”

The former leader of the Liberal Democrats and MP for Lonsdale and Westmorland Tim Farron said: “After years of campaigning, it’s welcome that these environmentally backwards plans have been consigned to the rubbish bin where they belong.

“The UK steel industry was very clear that this coal was not suitable for steel making in this country and so the economic case for this heavily polluting mine was completely dead.

“Now the Government must finally get serious about investing in renewable energy jobs here in Cumbria.

“If this Government truly cares about economic growth and the environment then it must start investing in tidal projects in the west coast of Cumbria and Morecambe Bay where there is huge untapped potential.”

West Cumbria Mining has been approached for a comment on the withdrawal and future of the company.