The company bidding to mine 900,000 tonnes of coal near the Wrekin should pay for a health study itself instead of taxpayers, a politician has claimed.
MarkPritchard, The Wrekin MP, has written to UK Coal, “underlining in the strongest possible terms”, that it should cough up for a health impact assessment as part of its planning bid.
But UK Coal has rejected his call - saying an independent, authoritative study has already been carried out into surface mining nationwide and it revealed there is no health risk. The firm has submitted a planning application to Telford & Wrekin Council, seeking permission to mine coal at New Works, Lawley.
Residents fear mining would threaten health, ruin their quality of life and harm precious countryside on the edge of Telford.
Mr Pritchard has raised the matter in Parliament and launched an oppositionpetition.
He said: “It should not be left to local taxpayers or over-stretched local health resources to pick up the bill. UK Coal should agree to pay for the health study and allow local people to have full input into the research.”
Stuart Oliver, spokesman for UK Coal, said : ‘We have declined the request for support of this survey on the grounds that there has been in relatively recent years the most comprehensive, thorough, independent survey of surface mining operations carried out by Newcastle upon Tyne University.
“This study - which UK Coal did not sponsor or pay for - dispelled claims of health risks.”