STAUNCH Blaenavon campaigners say that opposition to the Varteg opencast mine is as strong as ever.

Resident John Cox re-iterated arguments against the fresh Glamorgan Power plan to mine 256,000 tonnes of coal from the area, ahead of a drop-in session which is set to be held at Varteg Community Centre today (Thurs).

He said he was disappointed that Torfaen council had not arranged for a public meeting.

“We are simply to be told what Glamorgan Power plan to do - but, nonetheless, there may be some limited opportunity for the public to tell Glamorgan Power and Torfaen council what we think," he added.

Member of the No Campaign, Alan Styles, said: “Opposition is still as strong as we believe that not enough has changed within the application to warrant it as the boundary of the site remains the same within 500 metres of houses."

He added: "The one-hour meeting is not enough time for all people affected to voice their opinion.”

Torfaen council refused the application in 2011 due to its proximity to houses which led to the 2012 inquiry.

Mr Cox added: “Torfaen Council refused the application in 2011 so are duty bound to reject this application again, otherwise they will be regarded as idiots having turned it down previously.”

Last week, Torfaen’s AM Lynne Neagle once again highlighted the opencast threat facing her constituents in Varteg during a debate in the National Assembly.

She called for the MTAN 2 planning guidance and the 500m buffer zone to be adhered to and there was support from other members in the chamber for her call for a moratorium on opencast.

Ms Neagle has called on the Welsh Government to halt new and current opencast applications so they can carry out a wide-ranging review into the entire industry.

She said: “I believe we’re now at a crossroads when it comes to opencast in Wales. On the one hand, we clearly need planning guidance that’s fit for purpose and is backed up by the Planning Inspectorate - who we must be able to scrutinise and hold properly to account in this Assembly when they’re not adhering to policies that we’ve developed and voted for.

“At the same time, the holes in the ground and scarred landscapes left in the wake of abandoned developments show there are huge issues when it comes to trust and accountability within the industry itself.”

In November 2013, the minister for housing and regeneration, Mr Sargeant, refused to grant outline planning permission for the scheme.

The minister thought the application was ‘environmentally acceptable’, despite school children being taught only 120 metres from the proposed mine and houses being within 500 metres, but he did not accept that the benefits of the scheme justified working within 500m of the settlement, and could not conclude that the proposed development was the most effective solution.

Plans will be on display from 4.30pm until 6.30pm. From 6.30pm until 7.30pm the question and answer session will be held.