Banks has still not submitted a planning application for their proposals for an open-cast mine at Dewley Hill so we've decided to put our plans for 10th September on hold. In the meantime you may be interested in a few facts about the proposed surface mine. • Banks is the largest producer of coal in England • The closest property to the proposed mining area would be 200m away. Darras Hall is only 1.3km away and Lower Callerton is 250m away. • An estimated 60 HGVs would leave the site everyday • There would be limited opportunities for new entrant jobs for the site, as the majority of the work would be carried out by plant machinery and the labour quota would be low • Mining activity would remove the natural headwater catchment of the Ouseburn and some part of the Dewley Burn catchment, which could contribute to flooding • All three independent local Westerhope Councillors are opposed to the open cast mining at Dewley Hill • Proposed operating hours for the site have increased since the last unsuccessful planning application. This means blasting could potentially be heard by residents from 7am until 10pm • Some years ago Newcastle City Council set out to become the world’s first carbon neutral city. In 2006, the council signed the Nottingham Declaration – a public commitment to tackle climate change. Carbon Neutral Newcastle (CNN) has an affiliated charity called Carbon Neutral North East (CNNE)