THE battle between Hunter Valley horses and resources has lurched toward big coal, following the planning department’s decision to back the controversial Drayton coal mine extension.
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NSW's planning department has recommended the project to the State's independent planning panel, which will have final say.
The Hunter thoroughbred industry has long argued Anglo American’s plan to extend the open-cut Drayton mine jeopardises its future.
According to Hunter Thoroughbred Breeders Association president Cameron Collins, Drayton’s extension “will devastate an entire industry”.
Anglo said it needs to extend the pit as the current operations will run out of coal by 2017.
Extending the Drayton pit would bring mining activity closer to two linchpins of the local industry – the internationally renowned Coolmore and Darley studs.
The studs indicated previously they would relocate to more appealing pastures in Victoria if coal encroaches
The government’s independent approvals panel, the Planning and Assessment Commission (PAC), reviewed Anglo’s plans in December 2013 and recommended against Drayton’s expansion.
The PAC, comprised of a three delegates selected from a panel of experts, was unusually direct in its findings:
"The plan proposed by Anglo should not be approved
"Coolmore and Darley should be recognised as essential to the equine industry in the region.
"Any mining on the site should be required to demonstrate it will not impact the studs’ operations"
Following these recommendations, Drayton rejigged its mine plan and sent it to the department for assessment.
“The retracted mine plan makes a number of substantial concessions to address the PAC’s recommendations,” the department’s advice said.
“The department is satisfied that the benefits of the project would outweigh its costs, and believes that the retracted mine plan strikes an appropriate balance between protecting the interests of the horse studs and realising the significant economic benefits that would flow to the region and the State if the project is allowed to proceed.”
However, Mr Collins said it was “extraordinary that the planning department should reject the findings of the government’s independent Planning Assessment Commission”.
He said approval of the mine would sound “the death knell of an entire industry in the Hunter Valley, billions of dollars of investment and thousands of (horse industry) jobs for the sake of one mine”.
Anglo welcomed the department's recommendation and said extending Drayton would deliver $35 million in royalties to NSW each year, spend $70m annually with local businesses and secure 500 local jobs
“The release of the report is a positive step forward for our employees, the local community and the 140 local businesses depending on Drayton South for their livelihoods,” said Drayton's project director Rick Fairhurst.
“Under the new plan, the mine will sit behind the natural landscape and the mine life will reduce to 20 years instead of the previous proposal of 27 years, with total tonnes reducing from 119 million to 97 million over the mine life.”
Now it’s been given the tick by the department, it will be assessed once more, this time by a fresh set of PAC members.
Mike Foley
Senior journalist for The Land.
Senior journalist for The Land.
