EXPLORATION for the Rocky Hill coal mine near Gloucester will not proceed after the Planning Assessment Commission knocked it back on Thursday, dubbing it a “direct contravention” of the objectives behind the area’s zoning.
If approved, the Gloucester Resources project would have created a new open-cut coal mine five kilometres south of the Gloucester town centre.
The 764-hectare mine operation would have produced up to two million tonnes of coal per year from three open-cut pits over up to 21 years, planning documents show.
“The Department’s assessment report concluded that the project is incompatibly located with respect to the southern fringes of the nearby rural-residential area of Gloucester,” the Commission’s report stated.
“The department considers that the project area is not a suitable site for an open-cut coal mine.”
Gloucester Resources responded to the state planners’ recommendation in October, when chief operating officer Brian Clifford said the company remained committed to the project and would work through the approvals process.
The version knocked back this week was a slightly smaller version of a 2.5 million tonne per year proposal put on hold in April 2015 when state planners found it was not in the public interest.
The development application for the original project was exhibited in late 2013 and of 1744 submissions, about 90 per cent were objections, including from several agencies.
NSW Greens energy and resources spokesman Jeremy Buckingham said the result was proof coal was no longer king in the state, arguing the state needed a transition plan to phase out the fossil fuel.
Matt Carr
Matt began his Newcastle Herald career as a cadet in 2009. He is a Walkley nominated reporter who has covered councils, police and general news rounds across the Upper Hunter, Port Stephens, Maitland, Lake Macquarie, Cessnock and Newcastle. Now his focus is on digital storytelling and breaking news.
Matt began his Newcastle Herald career as a cadet in 2009. He is a Walkley nominated reporter who has covered councils, police and general news rounds across the Upper Hunter, Port Stephens, Maitland, Lake Macquarie, Cessnock and Newcastle. Now his focus is on digital storytelling and breaking news.
