Rosewell & District Community Council

Proposal of Application Notice for extraction of coal and fireclay by opencast methods - Cauldhall Moor Penicuik - Ref. No: 12/00591/PAC | Received: Tue 18 Sep 2012 | Validated: Tue 18 Sep 2012 | Status: Decided

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Click on this live link to view the Proposal of Application - https://planning-applications.midlothian.gov.uk/OnlinePlanning/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=MALA5IKV08B00

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UPDATE 28.10.16 - Withdrawal of Application

UPDATE 9.4.15 - The following article appeared in the Midlothian Advertiser dated 9 April 2015 - "The future of a proposed opencast mine at Cauldhall Moor remains unclear following news that Longannet Power Station, the intended destination of the fuel, is to close next year.  Midlothian Council approved Hargreaves plans for a new surface mine between Rosewell and Howgate in November 2013.  But the company has recently confirmed its operations are under review.  A spokesperson said:  "The news from Longannet is disappointing and will ultimately be considered as part of our ongoing review of all operations including Cauldhall Moor.  No decisions have been made at this point in time."

UPDATE 21.11.14 - Since no updates have been received on this application since it was approved on 19.11.13 we will remove this item from the agenda of future community council meetings until further information is received.

UPDATE 20.12.13 - Hargreaves December Newsletter - click on link to view -http://pps.createsend1.com/t/ViewEmail/r/A48D7EBB35B329362540EF23F30FEDED/BF272FF6C3F5E6AB0CC2E775D3CF5869

UPDATE 19.11.13 - The planning application was approved at today's Midlothian Council Planning Committee Meeting.  Click here for the press release - http://www.midlothian.gov.uk/press/article/1047/open_cast_mine_given_planning_permission  Approval is subject to comprehensive conditions and legal agreements, and consent will not be granted until these are resolved between Midlothian Council and Hargreaves - this will take some time.  This development will not go ahead until these are in place.  We will upload this information as soon as it becomes available.

UPDATE NOVEMBER 2013 - Hargreaves NOVEMBER Newsletter - http://pps.createsend1.com/t/ViewEmail/r/4B66356C80E90FE52540EF23F30FEDED/BF272FF6C3F5E6AB0CC2E775D3CF5869

UPDATE 15.11.13 - Click on link to view Cauldhall Surface Mine Report by Head of Planning to be determined at Midlothian Council Planning Committee on 19 November - http://7(b) Cauldhall Moor 13.00105.DPP - Report

UPDATE 13.11.13- Click on link to view Pre-Determination Hearing agenda and papers http://www.midlothian.gov.uk/meetings/meeting/274/pre-determination_hearing

UPDATE NOVEMBER 2013 - Scottish Coalfields Community Information Newsletter - November 2013 - http://pps.cmail1.com/t/ViewEmail/r/C1AB6A38D0E618232540EF23F30FEDED/BF272FF6C3F5E6AB0CC2E775D3CF5869

UPDATE 5.11.13 -  Hargreaves Production Surface Mining letter to Midlothian Council dated 29 October 2013 addressing the body of representations received as a result of the consultation exercise.  This can be viewed by clicking on the link to the Planning Application at the top of this page.  Then click on Documents and scroll down to the first entry for 4 November 2013 headed Application Information - Negotiation Correspondence/General.  A further objections response from Hargreaves can be viewed by clicking on this link - documents/document-173627.pdf

The PRE-DETERMINATION HEARING will take place on Thursday 7th November 2013 at 10am in Penicuik Town Hall.

UPDATE 23.10.13 - Email from RDCC to MC Planning Officials - Click to view - documents/cauldhall-23-oct-2013.doc  to be read in conjunction with RDCC's responses dated 29 October 2012 and 4 April 2013 above.

UPDATE 21.10.13 - Please find attached Pre-Determination Hearing letter for the above planning application - documents/pre-determination-hearing-letter-13.00105.dpp.pdf.   Please accept my sincere apologies for not sending this sooner this was an administration error.  Due to this error the Planning Manager has authorised me to advise you that you have until 1 November 2013 to advise us that you wish to attend/speak at the hearing.  From  Pamela Birkmyre Administrative Assistant Business Services Corporate Resources Fairfield House 8 Lothian Road Dalkeith.

UPDATE 8 OCTOBER 2013- PLANNING COMMITTEE MEETING - Please click on these links to view the Report to the Midlothian Council Planning Committee meeting - documents/07_y_i_cauldhall_moor_13.00105.dpp_-_pre_determination_hearing_arrangements.pdf and documents/07_y_ii_cauldhall_moor_13.00105.dpp_-_map.pdf  To date RDCC has NOT received official confirmation of the pre-determination hearing, but will update residents as soon as this becomes available.

New residents may be interested in the HISTORY OF OPENCAST MINING IN ROSEWELL - Scottish Coal operated a surface mine site at Newbigging/Shewington, adjacent to the proposed Cauldhall site, since 2004.  The Newbigging/Shewington operation has now completed coaling, and is in the final stages of restoration.  Following the demise of Scottish Coal, the completion of the restoration task at Shewington will form part of detailed discussions on the future of the Cauldhall Moor coal reserves.  The operations at Newbigging/Shewington followed the working of coal at the Gourlaw Surface Mine, also south of Rosewell, which is now restored to productive agricultural use.  Prior to Gourlaw, a site called Rosslynlee was worked on the southern edge of Rosewell on which the Rosewell Bypass and the Fairmeadow Housing Estate have since been constructed.

'Extract from Hargreaves’ comments on the MLDP Main Issues Report.

UPDATE 5.9.13 -  Please click on the live planning application at the top of the page then click on Documents and scroll down (a long way!) to 2nd September 2013 - Application Information - Negotiation Correspondence/General.  This is a letter dated 28 August from Hargreaves giving their comments on the consultation responses received to date on the planning application.  Let us have your views.

UPDATE 17.8.13 -  Please click on the live planning application at the top of the page and view the Document dated 16 August 2013.  This correspondence confirms that Hargreaves are now the applicant for the planning application and will be submitting comments to Midlothian Council on the various consultation responses.  RDCC will monitor these comments closely to ensure that the many conditions we submitted to Scottish Coal (Scottish Resources Group), and which they addressed positively, are all met by Hargreaves should planning permission be granted.

UPDATE April 2013 - (Extract from RDCC AGM Minutes of 22 April 2013)  Residents who attended our 11 March meeting will recall we informed you that Scottish Resources Group (SRG)/Scottish Coal was in financial difficulties and that the project had been put on hold.  It came as little surprise, therefore when media reports last weekend announced that SRG had gone into liquidation, with the loss of 590 jobs.  We are very sorry about the loss of jobs and, most particularly, for local people who have been affected.  In these circumstances, the Chair felt that any discussion would be hypothetical until further public information is available.

UPDATE APRIL 2013- Please view RDCC's further letter of 4 April 2013 - /RosewellandDistrict/documents/cauldhallpa-rdcc-response.doc in response to the full planning application which raises further concerns we wish Planning to address (this should be read in conjunction with our above response to the Scoping Opinion dated 29 October 2012). 

UPDATE FEBRUARY 2013 - Above is the link to the planning application from Scottish Coal - with many  documents attached.   If you wish to read a summary, click on the link to view the Pre-Application Consultation Report Volume 6, pages 10-19   -  /RosewellandDistrict/documents/pre-application-consultation-report-volume-6.pdf  This responds to the issues raised at the Public Exhibition (attended by 45 people) in Rosewell on 3 October 2012, and also to RDCC's comments and concerns raised on the Scoping Opinion above.

The ES Non Technical Summary Volume 4 (See Planning Application above - Document D-v4 es non technical summary) is also helpful.  At the next RDCC meeting on 11 March 2013 we will display a hard copy set of the full application, and we have some copies of the current Scottish Coal February 2013 Newsletter, DVD-ROMs of the application and the ES Non Technical Summary for distribution to residents.

BEFORE COMMENTING ON THIS APPLICATION PLEASE READ ALL THE BACKGROUND INFORMATION.  PLEASE VIEW THIS PAGE AND ATTEND COMMUNITY COUNCIL MEETINGS FOR FUTURE UPDATES.

Extraction of coal and fireclay by surface mining methods and restoration of site (this application is accompanied by an environmental statement submitted under the terms of the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment (Scotland) Regulations 2011))  Cauldhall Moor Penicuik     Ref. No: 13/00105/DPP | Received: Thu 07 Feb 2013 | Validated: Thu 07 Feb 2013 | Status: Approved by Midlothian Council Planning Committee on 19.11.13, but since then no further information has been forthcoming. Click here to view the full planning application - https://planning-applications.midlothian.gov.uk/OnlinePlanning/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=MI2CX1KV07J00

PLEASE NOTE THE STATUTORY CONSULTEES FOR THIS APPLICATION ARE:  Scottish Natural Heritage: Scottish Environmental Protection Agency: Historic Scotland: Scottish Water: Forestry Commission for Scotland: Transport Scotland: Royal Society for the Protection of Birds: East Lothian Archaeological Service: Scottish Wildlife Trust: Rosewell & District Community Council: Howgate Community Council and the Council's Environmental Health Manager.

View RDCC's letter of 29 October 2012 - /RosewellandDistrict/documents/rdccs-comments-on-cauldhall-moor-opencast-development.doc in response to the Scoping Opinion above. 

29 OCTOBER 2012 - Scottish Coal sent out newsletters to each household in Rosewell explaining their proposals for an extension to the Shewington Opencast Development, and this was followed up by a public exhibition on Wednesday 3rd October 2012 from 3pm-8pm in St Matthew's Church Hall attended by 45 people.   Please note that this is a PRE-planning application.  When Scottish  Coal submits a FULL planning application to Midlothian Council there will be a further public consultation period. 

Request for scoping opinion on extraction of coal and fireclay by opencast methods    Cauldhall Moor Penicuik     Ref. No: 12/00633/SCO | Received: Mon 24 Sep 2012 | Validated: Mon 24 Sep 2012 | Status: Unknown - Click on link below to view the Scoping Opinion