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Planning Minister visits Northumberland

The planning minister has visited the region to view the positive impact the surface mining industry has on the North East economy.

Bob Neill MP visited the Banks Mining site in Shotton, Northumberland to see how the mine operates, and to discuss the economic, employment and community contributions the mine makes to the area.

The mine currently employs 200 people on site, as well as supporting a number of other off-site roles and contributes over £20 million to the regional economy annually.

Mark Dowdall, environment and community director at the Banks Group commented: “The mining industry continues to be a major contributor to the north east economy, and we wanted to demonstrate this to the minister at a time when we feel there is an unfair presumption against surface mining within the present planning system.

“We support the government’s plans to streamline the UK planning system which is aimed to deliver much needed economic growth through sensitively designed private sector development.”

The minister also visited five former surface mining sites in the area which have been landscaped and restored, and took a tour of Northumberlandia landform near Cramlington. The £2.5 landform will form the centrepiece of a new public park on land north of the Snowy Owl.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .