Planning system in urgent need of reform after Cumbria mine decision, Bath MP tells Minister

12 December 2022

Following the UK Government’s decision to proceed with the creation of a new coal mine in Cumbria, Wera Hobhouse, MP for Bath and Lib Dem climate and energy spokesperson, challenged Michael Gove, the DHLUC Minister, on the plans. Mrs Hobhouse said that planning systems needed to be reformed so that Net Zero was at the heart of each decision and so approvals like this could not take place in the future.

In response, Mr Gove hid behind the, what he called, ‘quasi-judicial’ decision of the planning inspectorate to allow the mine to go ahead. He repeatedly said during his statement that the mine was Net Zero.

Green Alliance has said that the coal from the mine will produce the equivalent carbon emissions of an extra 200,000 cars on the road every year. 85% of the coal is expected to be exported, at odds with the Government’s claims that this mine is necessary for domestic consumption for steel production.

Wera Hobhouse, Liberal Democrat climate and energy spokesperson and Bath MP, commented:

"This decision cancels out all the progress Britain has made on renewable energy. The Government's environmental credentials are yet again left in tatters. Rishi Sunak's Government is trashing our country's reputation as a world leader in cutting emissions. He does not represent the views of the public who want green projects.

“The planning decisions that allow these projects to go ahead need urgent reform. Net Zero is not even an afterthought, instead something to be ignored entirely. It is imperative that Net Zero is at the heart of everything we do and it is clear planning systems need to have this message embedded into them.

"We Liberal Democrats have long called for this project to be cancelled and we hope the Government will reverse their decision."