A response to Planned Nant Llesg mine would bring prosperity to Rhymney Valley claims developer Miller Argent chief, by Maggie Thomas, correspondent for the Open Spaces Society for Caerphilly County Borough.
Mr Neil Brown was quoted in your article “We’re talking to National Resources Wales to make sure that what we’re going to restore the mine to will make it a better environment to how it is now. We are looking to open public access and recreation and looking at putting public footpaths across it”.
The area, on which the open cast mining is planned, is mostly open access land, which has some footpaths crossing it. If the open cast Nant Lesg mine is given the go ahead, the open public access and public footpaths will be closed for a period of around 25 years.
After the mining has ceased Miller Argent will have to reinstate the public access and footpaths. It may be that they will provide a better surface for walkers on the public footpaths, but make no mistake they will merely be replacing what they hope to temporarily take away.
True, tracts of land have been offered in exchange for the public access land which will be fenced off while the mining is in progress, but Miller Argent is not doing the local people a favour. What they intend to take away now they will reinstate in 25 years time.
Is the opencast development going to bring many jobs to Rhymney?. They dont normally, the developers will bring in their own workforce. The damage that will be caused will mirror the existing openncast sites near Merthyr, a big hole in the ground that can never be brought back to its current state.
I’m still tickled to see those who complained against the closure of the mines now complaining against the opening of the mine.
Jobs, local businesses boost, taxes, and putting the place on the map is worth it to me.