At a planning meeting yesterday, members of Notts Against New Coal (NANC) urged councillors to reject a proposal by ATH Regeneration Ltd to reclaim coal from the site for use at power stations in the Trent Valley.

ATH states that 450,000 tonnes of coal will be reclaimed creating 35 jobs over three years and it will plant 22,000 trees in 8.8 hectares of new woodland along with new hedgerow, agricultural land, dry grassland and wetlands.

A spokesman told the Nottinghamshire County Council meeting: "It will reduce the UK's dependency on imported coal and the community will benefit because for every tonne of coal recovered, we will put money into the community fund."

During the debate, Coun Edward Llewellyn-Jones, from Kirkby, said the proposals would not necessarily damage the environment.

He said: "This country needs electricity to keep homes lit. I am not convinced that coal is an evil – it's the way it is used and coal is not the only thing making the climate change."

The committee approved the plans but as the site is also in Derbyshire, approval is also needed by Derbyshire County Council and it will go before its planning committee on 27th October.

But speaking after the meeting, NANC representative Jane Burd told Chad: "We are very disappointed about the decision today and that the councillors have not taken into account what was said about climate change.

"We did not get a chance to counter the councillors' comments and we just hope Derbyshire County Council sees sense."

And Kat Sourbi, also of NANC, added: "Allowing this coal to be recovered and burned in Radcliffe Power Station flies in the face of all that Nottinghamshire has done to reduce its carbon emissions.

"All local authorities in Nottinghamshire have signed the Nottingham Declaration in which they have publicly declared to reduce their carbon emissions."

For more details on the campaign click here.