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Wales' Last Coal Mine Rejected!
9 Jun
Summary
- Carmarthenshire council refused the last UK opencast coal mine proposal.
- Environmental concerns cited include protected woodland and peatland loss.
- The decision marks the end of opencast coal mining in Wales.
The last outstanding proposal for opencast coal mining in the UK, located at Glan Lash mine near Llandybie, has been refused by Carmarthenshire council. The decision was based on significant environmental impacts, including adverse effects on protected woodland, hedgerows, and irreplaceable peatland.
Concerns were also raised about the potential disturbance to a local population of marsh fritillary butterflies, a threatened species. This refusal marks the cessation of opencast coal mining in Wales, following the closure of the Glan Lash mine in 2019 and subsequent rejected extension plans.
Campaigners welcomed the decision, viewing it as an opportunity for land remediation. The Coal Action Network highlighted the decision as a commitment to climate leadership and habitat protection, noting there are no current applications for new coal mines in the UK. Bryn Bach Coal Ltd, the company behind the proposal, had argued for a niche market for premium anthracite, but their plans were contrary to local development policies.
The company has six months to appeal the decision. The closure of Ffos-y-Fran, the UK's largest opencast mine, in 2023 further underscores the shift away from this form of extraction.
