UK Coal wish to opencast 2.05 million tonnes of coal and 1/2 a million tonnes of fireclay from the site. It is also expected that the company will apply for a further 3 sites in the immediate vicinity. The land for the first application, which the industry call Hoodsclose, has been sold to a property developer as part of UK Coal's desperate bid to stay in business. (Click here for more info) It therefore seems very unlikely that it will ever be 'restored' to the farm land, old roads and public paths which it is now.

The local action group has an amazing website with all of the plans for the applications and all of the reasons it is a bad idea. These include:

* Noise and dust during the construction and working phases of the project
* Site boundary very close to the village boundary
* Loss of visual amenity
* Loss of tranquillity
* Loss of enjoyment of surrounding countryside
* Adverse impact on County First School students

UK Coal are still in hot water financially since the Financial Times reported that they were going into voluntary liquidation. Although this has since been denied, they are clearly struggling with contractors at their Potland Burn site (also Northumberland) refusing the company credit. After a fire at their Daw Mill Colliery they are looking for the government to re-nationalise this aspect of their business and workers pensions are looking to be in a dangerous position.