Health risk warning over mine proposals

The warnings come ahead of a Midlothian planning summit, where strong objections have been lodged against the controversial Scottish Coal bid to extract two million tonnes from a 154-hectare site at Airfield Farm near Cousland.

The plot lies less than two kilometres from Ormiston Primary School across the border in East Lothian and has sparked concern among residents and councillors about the health and environmental implications on the county.

East Lothian campaigners opposed to the plan also claim they have not been adequately consulted on the plans.

Scottish Coal says that, if approved, 25 jobs would be created locally in a six-month start-up phase and a further 50 full-time posts over the next five years. The firm would also contribute 500,000 to a community fund, however, it has been reported that East Lothian may not benefit from the windfall.

Councillor Ruth Currie, cabinet member for community wellbeing in East Lothian, said pitching for opencast mining so close to the county border was like "sticking two fingers up" to county residents, whose own local authority's policy is to reject such mining methods.

"As a whole council we are against the opencasting mining. Part of the issue is the first area of the village that's hit (by coal dust] is playing fields, followed by Ormiston Primary School, so it would be children that suffer. Our biggest concern will be respiratory issues."

She added: "Health implications are the most important thing but you cannot forget the impact on the environment.

"The whole aspect looking towards Midlothian border would be completely changed - it would be an eyesore."

Councillor Currie has urged the Scottish Parliament to begin an independent public inquiry into the application.

A statement from Scottish Coal played down the health concerns and said the firm managed surface mining operations throughout Scotland "to the highest environmental and health and safety standards".

"Children's health and surface coal mining has been the subject of study by Newcastle University which found no adverse link between the two," it said.

Jim Blane, chair of Ormiston Community Council, claimed a survey of 2500 people in the village had returned a 91 per cent mandate against the opencast mining proposals.

"We feel disenfranchised because our views were not sought. We wrote to Midlothian Council and asked to be consulted. Ormiston village is about 1200 metres from the site but there are Ormiston houses about 430 metres away. We are concerned by the health issue, noise, dust and increasing transport that would create a different atmosphere from the peaceful environment that we currently enjoy here."

Scottish Coal said it had "engaged with a wide variety of stakeholder groups" during the application process and attended public meetings in both Cousland and Ormiston.

Midlothian planning committee will meet on October 12 to vote on the application.

Councillor Russell Imrie, chair of the committee, said: "Midlothian Council appreciates that where a planning application proposal lies close to the area of another council it has to recognise the potential impact on communities in the neighbouring council area.

"The representations of the (Ormiston] community council will be considered in the overall assessment of the planning application."