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Local authorities in Cumbria in the northwest of England granted planning approval to the Woodhouse Colliery coking coal mine on Friday, but Westminster intervened, saying it needed more time to consider whether to review the application - a move that could lead to the approval being overruled.
West Cumbria Mining - the project's developer - plans to extract and process around 2.7 million tonnes of metallurgical coal per year, to be used in UK and European steel production. Initial site work was slated to begin early next year, with production to follow 18 months after the start of construction.
The £160 million project has found support from local politicians, largely because it is expected to create 500 jobs, but unsurprisingly has drawn criticism from environmental groups, who have questioned how the project fits with the UK's plan to be carbon neutral by 2050.
