VILLAGERS and a mining firm are preparing to renew hostilities over controversial plans to dig coal from open countryside.

It was June of this year when Durham County Council refused Hargreaves Surface Mining permission to opencast up to 514,000 tonnes of coal and 83,000 tonnes of fire clay from 56 hectares of farmland between Pittington and West Rainton, east of Durham City.

Now Hargreaves is to appeal the planning committee decision, which was taken against the advice of the council’s own planning officers.

The final decision will now be taken by a Planning Inspector next year – out of the control of elected councillors.

Steve MacQuarrie, Hargreaves’ planning director, said Field House, as the site is known, was “a project that works”, having undergone the “highest level of scrutiny”.

“Coal still has a huge part to play in all our energy needs but our reliance on foreign imports means the UK isn’t fully benefitting from this important resource," he said.

“We have already shown at our developments in Northumberland and throughout Scotland that coal extraction can provide a considerable local economic boost and deliver positive site restoration that is of benefit to local communities and we would do the same at Field House,” he added.

However, villagers who defeated the original application are ready for a new fight.

On its Facebook page, a spokesman for the Stop The Opencast between Pittington and West Rainton campaign said the appeal was very bad news.

“Clearly they (Hargreaves) only have contempt for the local community, announcing it (the appeal) on the deadline and after no engagement with the community in 2014.”

Hargreaves, which is based in Esh Winning, near Durham, says the opencast would create around 60 jobs and support others in the supply chain and with contractors.

Opponents say the work would generate noise, dirt and dust, lead to traffic problems and light pollution, ruin the countryside and cause health problems for decades to come.

But company bosses are confident they can convince the Planning Inspector the impact of the opencast on the local landscape and environment are unfounded and can be successfully mitigated.

If given the go-ahead, the mining would last for around 26 months, followed by a lengthy period of restoration work.