Decision on West Cumbria mine to be made in July

A decision for the West Cumbria mine plans is expected to be made in July.

The completed report has now been sent to Housing, Communities and Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove.

A deadline of 7 July has now been set for him to make a decision.

The plans have been met with mixed views but Copeland Mayor Mike Starkie supports the move.

Last month he wrote to Mr Gove urging him to put the plans into action to reduce the need to import from Russia.

He said: "I am writing to both the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, and Minister for The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Michael Gove, and asking them to expedite the decision on West Cumbria Mining and give it the go-ahead as a matter of urgency.

"In 2020 we imported 1.6 metric tonnes of coal from Russia. Turkey, Germany, the Netherlands, all import coal from Russia. It’s going to get caught up in the sanctions.

"The war in Ukraine will increase the financial burden on U.K. families and the already emerging cost of living crisis.

"Opening the mine will, in west Cumbria, alleviate some of that pressure through the creation of new well-paid jobs that will, in the long term, support the government's much-vaunted Levelling-Up agenda."

However, many have opposed the plans due to the impact the emissions will have on the environment.