Coal mine inquiry may cost £550,000

Council tax payers will have to fork out at least £300,000 to pay for the six-week public inquiry into plans to dig a huge opencast coal mine on the edge of Telford.

And if Telford & Wrekin Council loses its batttle against UK Coal, it could be landed with an- other £250,000 in costs.

The public hearing will take place at Gray's Hotel in Telford Town Centre from April 28.

UK Coal wants to extract 900,000 tonnes of coal from land at Huntington Lane, claiming it would make safe an area riddled with old mine workings, create 90 jobs and help meet national demand for coal.

More than 500 people, including campaign group Friends of the Ercall, parish councils, wildlife groups, residents and MPs Mark Pritchard and David Wright, have objected.

Critics fear the health of future generations will be harmed by dust and wildlife will be wiped out.

The public inquiry was called after UK Coal appealed against Telford & Wrekin Council's delay in making a decision. The council has now come out against mining in a report.

But fighting UK Coal will be a heavy drain on the public purse, with the council already having to pay £80,000 for the health impact assessment called for by Friends of the Wrekin.

In a report going to cabinet on April 20, the council's head of finance Paul Clifford says the anticipated costs on the council for the financial year 2008/09 are £50,000.

"The majority of spending on the inquiry will fall in the 2009/10 financial year and is estimated to be in the region of £250,000," he warns.

"Should the public inquiry rule against the authority, we will be liable for third party costs in addition."