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Local residents campaign against UK Coal at Great Oak

Coal action Network | 26.03.2013 17:17 | Climate Chaos | Culture | History | Birmingham | Wales

UK Coal (Coalfield Resources) want to open cast Great oak – aka Diglake Colliery. This site is where the January 1895 Flooding Disaster killed 77 men and boys and is close to the villages of Audley, Bignall End, Red Street and Crackley.

Some 72 bodies are still in the old workings over which UK Coal want to open cast mine.



For more information on the disaster see  http://www.warrinerprimaries.com/Topic/names.htm

The application is to remove 450,000 tonnes of coal extracted over 15 months. This would only which would take 12.6 days to burn in Drax which could be supplied by this site.

Local residents fear that if work is allowed to go ahead on this site then they will be subject to multiple extensions and a much longer term affect on their community. This has been the experience of many other people living next to open cast sites such as that operated which UK Coal call Lodge House in Derbyshire .

UK Coal offered to recompense the community by providing improvements to local recreational facilities. However there are already community halls at Red Street and Audley, football fields, at least two playing fields for younger children, open fields with public footpaths, fishing ponds and protected species of wildlife of various types.

Farmhouse residential home for older and vulnerable people is situated on the opposite side of the road to the proposed entrance. There are 5 primary schools in the area -Ravensmead Primary School and Wood Lane Primary School in Bignall End; St. Chads Primary School in Red Street Chesterton; Crackley Bank Primary School, Chesterton and Springhead Primary in Talke Pits.

What dust and disruption will the HGV lorries cause to local residents and people on nearby roads? UK Coal plan to either take the Chatterley Valley sidings and then by rail to the Midlands and Yorkshire power stations. Otherwise the coal would be taken by road on the A500 and trunk roads to the same power stations.

All local councillors, and our local MP Paul Farrelly, are backing the campaign.

CAGOO have leafleted thousands of residents in the area, and consequently, hundreds of residents have attended information meetings. On Saturday 16th March a protest walk took 300 people to see the proposed site.

Residents who want to preserve the countryside, history, and burial ground of miners who gave their lives in pursuit of coal should get involved in the campaign.

Look for the Campaign Against Great Oak Open Cast on Facebook or email:  chair@cagoo.org.uk or  secretary@cagoo.org.uk

Coal action Network
- e-mail: info@coalaction.org.uk
- Homepage: coalaction.org.uk

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  1. just so you know — former tree protestor