LAON PR 8-2014

2/10/14

BRADLEY PUBLIC INQUIRY: AIR QUALITY AND THE

BILLION POUND PLUS HEALTH QUESTION.
The coal to be quarried from the Bradley site, if the appeal at
the forthcoming Public Inquiry beginning on 7th October at the
Leadgate Workingmans Club, Co Durham, is upheld, it will be
used as fuel, either for generating electricity or for making
steel. Either way, it will not only create 1,600,000 tonnes of
CO2, when burnt, but it will create other forms of air pollution,
including that caused by nitrous oxides and sulphur dioxide,
which will contribute further pollution to the air we breathe.
The release of these pollutants will have effects on some
peoples health, which can have very serious consequences. As
our objection states:
....the burning of this coal from Bradley will contribute to
1,600 premature deaths, 68,000 additional days of medication,
363,266 working days lost and more than a million incidents of
lower respiratory symptoms, which is costing 1.1 to 3.1 billion
(1.3 to 3.7 billion) each year , caused by burning coal in UK
power stations, according to a recent report from the Health
and Environmental Alliance.
The seriousness of this issue is heightened, as LAONs objection
makes clear, because planning decisions have to take account
of whether granting approval would or would not contribute to
the UK breaching European Union legislation on air quality.
Since the UK Government is already guilty of breaching such
standards, this adds to the reasons why this appeal should be
rejected.

Steve Leary, who will be giving evidence on LAONs behalf at

the Public Inquiry said.
All of the planning guidance Ive read puts great stress on
planning decisions being sustainable that they should
enhance the quality of life and the quality of the natural
environment including the quality of the air we breathe.
Allowing this appeal will have exactly the opposite effect. This
coal is only going to be mined and burnt in a way which will
make the air we breathe more pathological, more likely to
cause someones premature death and incapacity. All of us will
be left partly responsible for picking up the tab for providing
these unfortunate individuals with the cost of providing their
care.
We have to end what is called a silo mentality that affects
decision making when it comes to air pollution issues and
planning, that tends only to take account of the local
immediate impact that mining this coal has on air quality. We
will be asking the Inspector to see things in the round and
take account of what the effect will be on all of us if this coal is
mined and then burnt reducing the quality of the air we all
breath
A full copy of LAONs objections and a summary of LAONs
objections can be downloaded from this page on the Pont Valley
Network site @ http://www.pontvalleynet.co.uk/
END

END

END

END

END

NOTE FOR THE EDITOR

This is the third of a number of press releases LAON will be issuing in the
lead up to the Public Inquiry which will explain different parts of LAONs
set of objections. Previous press releases on this topic can be sent if
requested. The Public Inquiry begins on Tuesday 7th October in Leadgate
Working Mens Club. Leadgate, Co. Durham
INFORMATION ABOUT THE PONT VALLEY NETWORK

The Pont Valley Network is group of diverse individuals with varied

experiences and backgrounds. We understand that as people we dont
always communicate with each other that well. We might disagree or
agree with each other for many reasons but we share one thing in
common:
We all live or have lived and care for Pont Burn Valley. We recognise its
unique heritage and natural beauty and are prepared to work hard to
preserve it.
This is a link to their website @ http://www.pontvalleynet.co.uk/
The contact person for the Pont Valley Network is Carole Rooke @
c.rooke@aol.co.uk , Tel 01207 570003 or 07751 113148
INFORMATION ABOUT THE LOOSE ANTI OPENCAST NETWORK
The Loose Anti-Opencast Network (LAON) has been in existence since
2009. It is a UK and Northern Ireland wide network of 30 local community
groups opposed to local opencast mine proposals / operations. It functions
as a medium through which to oppose open cast mine applications and
works with groups where local people feel that such a development is
inappropriate.
CONTACTING LAON
Steve Leary, LAONs Spokesperson, at infoatlaon@yahoo.com
Tel 05601 767981 or 07711501215
You can now follow LAON on twitter @ http://twitter.com/seftonchase
GROUPS IN THE NETWORK
Coal Action Network
Whittonstall Action Group, Northumberland,
North Pennine Protection Group, Northumberland,
Pont Valley Network, Co Durham,
Pittington Residents Group Co Durham,
Newton Lane Action Group, Leeds,
Residents Against Birklands, Gateshead
Cowley Residents Group, Sheffield ,
Skelmansthorpe Action Group, Kirklees
Shortwood Farm Opencast Opposition, Nottinghamshire,
West Hallum Environment Group, Derbyshire,

Smalley Action Group, Derbyshire,

Hilltop Action Group, Derbyshire,
Minorca Opencast Protest Group, Leicestershire,
Campaign Against Great Oak Opencast, Staffordshire,
Stop Opencast at Sharlston, Wakefield and
Alumwell Action Group. Walsall
Just Say No to Lignite, N Ireland,
Coal Action Scotland
Mining and Environment Group, East Ayrshire
Saline Parish Hub, Fife
Stop Cauldhall Opencast, Midlothian
Green Valleys Alliance, Rhymney Valley
Residents Against Ffos-y-Fran, Merthyr Tydfil
Merthyr Tydfil Anti Opencast Campaign, Merthyr Tydfil
Llwdgoed Action, Merthyr Tydfil
Varteg Protest, Torfaen
United Valleys Action Group, Rhymney Valley and
Wales Against Opencast Group.