JUST four months after a plan to mine 256,000 tonnes of coal in the Varteg were refused by Welsh minister Carl Sargeant, a new application could be submitted.

The minister for housing and regeneration dismissed the appeal by Glamorgan Power Company Ltd and refused to grant outline planning permission for the development comprising a land reclamation and coal recovery scheme at Varteg Hill.

Now the company is considering the submission of a new planning application.

Prior to this, the company want to work with Torfaen council to identify feasible options for the land reclamation scheme.

Torfaen AM Lynne Neagle said: “Although we always knew this was a possibility, I’m still dismayed at news that Glamorgan Power intend to submit another application to opencast at Varteg.

“Local residents have spent years with the threat of this development hanging over their heads.

“It is just not acceptable.”

Residents and parents of school children, who are taught only 120 metres from the site, raised concerns about the noise and dust impact the mining scheme would have.

A meeting will be held on Monday at the Civic Centre to discuss the application.