Fossil fuel and mineral mining in Derbyshire? Stronger safeguards needed

Derbyshire CPRE has joined with other environmental groups across the county to call on Derbyshire County Council to strengthen environmental and community protection in its draft Derbyshire and Derby Minerals Plan.

The law stipulates that Derbyshire County Council (together with Derby City Council) must produce a Minerals Plan for the period to 2038.  CPRE Derbyshire and CPRE Peak District & South Yorkshire responded to the consultative draft of the plan in April this year.  We argued for greater safeguards against increases in carbon emissions and disruption to local communities.  We also commented on the landscape implications of some of the proposed sites for sand and gravel extraction in the south of the county.  A copy of the joint Derbyshire and Peak District CPRE response can be found here.

Recently we have worked with colleagues from the Derbyshire Climate Coalition and Friends of the Earth to ask county councillors to use their influence to strengthen the environmental, community and landscape safeguards in the final plan, which is due to be published in the Spring next year. We would like to see similar wording in the Derby and Derbyshire Minerals Plan as appears in the Kirklees Minerals Plan, namely that

 “All proposals for production of hydro-carbons should demonstrate net zero impact on climate change.” 

We are asking supporters in Derbyshire to write to their councillors to encourage them to promote the changes we need.  Below is a link to the campaign and a draft letter for concerned individuals to send to their councillor.  At the time of writing, over 200 letters have been sent, so we are optimistic that the message about protecting the climate, the environment and communities from long-term harm is being heard.

https://actionnetwork.org/letters/derbyshire-and-derby-minerals-local-plan/

Please lend your support!