Telford & Wrekin Council this week set out its battle lines for fighting the controversial plan by UK Coal to begin open cast mining at the foot of The Wrekin.
The council’s plans board backed a suggested statement of case which will become the cornerstone of its opposition to the plan at a public inquiry on April 28.
The council says mining would ruin beautiful views from the summit of the Wrekin, create unacceptable levels of noise and too much dust.
It also spells out its concern for Telford to shed the image of an area “scarred by mining” and says UK Coal’s proposals would put people off living in the borough.
The council’s opposition will go before a Government inspector at a hearing at Grays Hotel on April 28, UK Coal having lodged an application claiming the council did not issue a decision on its proposals within the required time.
It wants to extract 900,000 tonnes of coal from land around Huntington Lane, close to New Works, a site of previous mining.
UK Coal says the move would make the area safe, create 90 jobs and help meet national demand for coal.
Councillors on the plans board were unanimous in their support for fighting the plans.
Michael Barker, lead planning officer, told members that they had put forward what they believed was their “strongest case”.
The site involved lies south of the M54 and just west of New Works itself. Residents and campaign groups are also fighting the plans.