Green light for new coal mine in Cumbria

West Cumbria Mining said the mine would help create around 500 jobs in the area

Plans to develop the UK’s first new deep coal mine in decades have been given the go-ahead by the government.

The Woodhouse Colliery would process around 2.5 million tonnes of coking coal a year, expected to replace imports from the US, Canada, Colombia and Russia.

The Woodhouse Colliery would extract coking coal from the seabed off St Bees, with a processing plant on the former Marchon site at Kells.

West Cumbria Mining (WCM) said the Ministry of Housing would not “call in” the application already approved by the Cumbria County Council despite objections from green groups.

It added the mine would help create around 500 jobs in the area.

The company said in a statement: “WCM can now start the process of delivering on its plan to build one of most modern mines in the world. It will supply the UK and international steel industry, deliver hundreds of local jobs and deliver a first-class supply chain across the country.”

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