Welsh Council blocks 85,000-ton coal mine extension over Peatland, rare butterfly concerns
The UK now has no outstanding proposals for coal mining anywhere in the country after a Welsh council rejected plans to dig for 85,000 tons of coal.
Carmarthenshire council turned down the second application to expand the open-pit Glan Lash mine near Llandybie in Wales, citing impacts on the local environment. Bryn Bach Coal Ltd. had wanted to extend the site over 10.3 hectares. The council found the expansion would imperil habitat and species, including one of the UK’s rarest butterflies.
In a decision notice, Rhodri Griffiths, the council’s head of place and sustainability, listed nearby protected woodland and hedgerows as habitat that would be threatened. He also cited “the unacceptable disturbance, degradation and loss” of “irreplaceable peatland.” Llandybie hosts a population of the marsh fritillary, one of the UK’s most threatened butterfly species.
The Glan Lash mine opened in 2012 with a plan to excavate 92,500 tons over 4.5 years. Because of the technical challenges and upfront capital involved in building a mine, developers often start small and fund expansions with early revenue. Bryn Bach’s first proposal was rejected in 2019, and this latest rebuff is the second. The company has 6 months to appeal.
In its planning application, Bryn Bach said the coal is non-thermal. Demand comes from manufacturing, including water filtration systems and battery production, not power plants.
