Hundreds join protest march to stop opencast mine at Bignall End
HUNDREDS of protesters marched through the countryside to continue their fight against “immoral” plans for an opencast mine near their homes.
They walked from Audley Community Centre in protest at UK Coal’s plans for the land at Great Oak, Bignall End.
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Protesters at Saturday's march
Their protest included a minute’s silence overlooking the earmarked opencast site where dozens of miners had decades earlier died in a colliery disaster.
Now the Campaign Against Great Oak Opencast (CAGOO) is to start a series of fund-raisers to pay for the expert lawyers needed to strengthen their fight.
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They also hope the Coalition Government will adopt regulations already in place in Scotland which stop any opencast mining developments within 500 metres of houses.
Group chairman Claire Hansbury, aged 32, of Raven’s Lane, Bignall End, said: “We will carry on campaigning and the next stage will be to raise money to pay for legal consultants and the costs associated with printing leaflets.
“We will fight to stop this and hopefully soon our Government will implement what has already been done in Scotland.
“We wanted to do the march so we could carry on raising as much awareness as we can about the immoral proposals and demonstrate the strength of feeling.”
More than 300 placard-waving residents took part in Saturday’s protest.
They held the minute’s silence at the John Wedgwood memorial, in fields off Audley Road.
Campaigners have raised concerns that the development may potentially disturb the bodies of dozens of miners killed in the 1895 Diglake disaster who are still trapped underground.
Judith Edgeley’s great-great grandfather William Roberts, of Chapel Street, Audley, was killed in the disaster.
Judith, aged 47, of Red Street, Chesterton, who works as a site technician, said: “I don’t think UK Coal should go anywhere near the site.
“My great-great grandfather, who we believe was about 42 at the time, is with about 40 other men and we think their bodies are closer to the surface.”
UK Coal hopes to extract 450,000 tonnes of coal from the site over a 15-month period.
It is understood the mine will be operational for two years and six months, and the land will be restored to its original levels.
The firm is expected to submit a planning application to Staffordshire County Council next month.
Tony Adair, aged 66, of Miles Green, who is the district footpath secretary for the Newcastle branch of the Ramblers Association, said: “There are two footpaths which run through the area and both will be lost.
“I will be contacting the Ramblers Association to discuss how I can register an objection to this.”
Retired council worker Derrick Bate, aged 70, of Rileys Way, Bignall End, added: “There has been enough mining in this area – enough is enough.”
41 Comments
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by LadyPenelope
Sunday, March 24 2013, 8:23PM
“Yes, I think you can get some of these "diplomas" by paying a few hundred pounds and attending a course, often a whole day. This really does mean one is suitably qualified to establish oneself as a "healer" or whatever.”
by LadyPenelope
Sunday, March 24 2013, 8:22PM
“Yes, I think you can get some of these "diplomas" by paying a few hundred pounds and attending a course, often a whole day. This really does mean one is suitably qualified to establish oneself as a "healer" or whatever.”
by sensibilityJ
Sunday, March 24 2013, 8:01PM
“Thank you so much gormenhenghast, was hoping Madam Chair could clarify, nevermind, I might as well confess I knew all along. MFH stands for Master of the Foxhounds (a very bad subject for me) and BSYG is BSY Group - a home study correspondence course, where of course she got her dimploma Psy.D). Not putting Madam Chair down, well done for the work she put in for the achievement but it isn't something you put after your name like Bsc. B A etc. I can't be the only person to pick up on, thus opening C.A.G.O.O to ridicule. Sad, the Open Cast proposition does need a good group campaign.”
by gormhenghast
Saturday, March 23 2013, 5:28PM
“@ sensibilityJ one stands for Diploma in Psychic Development something to do with Healing, Numerology reiki etc. ( legalised hippydom)”
by sensibilityJ
Thursday, March 21 2013, 8:23PM
“Madam Chair is conspicuous by her absence. I AM AGAINST THE OPEN CAST, but with a good few others I will be visiting the Telford open cast in order to make our own judgements and when it comes the time to put up a stand we will at least have some knowledge of what we're up against. Madam Chair, your scribe dated 17th March sent to members of C.A.G.O.O not only contained mass misinformation (and playing into hands of UK Coal), it was also an insult to the intelligence of everybody against the open cast. Bad move Madam Chair. In passing, maybe Madam Chair can explain what the letters she places after her name mean (MFH, BSYG (Psy.D)?”
by ralphw1
Tuesday, March 19 2013, 11:57AM
“Everybody who is in full support of the protest against the opencast mine should not waste their time responding to people on here who can't or won't see sense. Its democracy that will rule.
I VOTE AGAINST THE OPENCAST MINE!
Please post if you're for or against the opencast mine.”
by LadyPenelope
Monday, March 18 2013, 4:53PM
“Back tracking again! You must be a lib dem. It doesn't matter really, I'm off to the circus!”
by zoe_lovatt
Monday, March 18 2013, 4:41PM
“And again!! last post now as I refuse to react again to personal jibes. I'm really sorry, I like big butts and I cannot lie. If you take it as offence that's up to you, I love a fat ****, and the phrase is a common colloquialism, well used. Gormhengast you seem to undertand completely what I have said on the morality issue so why have a personal dig at me? I used Nietzche on purpose and you understood. Frued is hardly any more of a moral compass now is he? I dont take kindly to being called phoney by people who are anonymous, and you dont know me or my idiosyncrasies to even pass any comment. I just wanted to get a clear view on what locals think about how this will effect thier daily lives in order that we can oppose it better if neccesary. Sorry, if my delivery offends it really is not intended to. I've spoken to dog walkers, residents and workers in the area none of whom had a clue abou these plans or the protest. Some people I spoke to dont have any problem with the plans what so ever, if they are larger in number then they should be heard. What we can do right now is get well versed on the planning process and grounds for objections. Publicity is something we can do now.”
by zoe_lovatt
Monday, March 18 2013, 2:34PM
“"Trolling- the practice of trying to lure other internet users into sending
responses to carefully designed incorrect statements or similar." Point proven, responce engaged.
Ok, fat comment resinded, sorry. Not all trolls are fat and not all fat people are trolls.
If you want fun I can show you where the circus is, and I am so sorry I cant spell. Pointing that out to me has really augmented this debate for the better dont you think?
I was very interested to hear all sides of this argument from those who have real issues to discuss, including skylarks. But I am now sorry I chose to get involved on here. Pointless and petty.”
by gormhenghast
Monday, March 18 2013, 1:52PM
“Hey Zoe I am fat, and guess what I can lose my fat, given time, perhaps you could try to lose your little idiosyncrasies too, that is given time to grow up a bit!! but I doubt it, and at the moment little Troll baiter until something happens there is precious little anyone can react too. that is apart from the phoney drivel being spouted by the likes of yourself sat on what ? your own fat ***, wake up you`re in a wood cant you see the trees? The story has not been hi jacked but mismanaged in the comments used from the organisation leader (self-appointed) in squashing the alleged "immoral" posting of someone who had an opposing view of the matter, a sort of censure on that basic principle we have of freedom of speech( how little have that do we really believe we have?) no doubt some hang up from her past. As for neech and his morals, unadulterated diatribe, guy liked the sound of his own drum.Freud would have just written him off as a big w*****...................................so would I.”