Plans for UKs first new coal mine in 30 years are quashed by High Court judge in decision branded disastrous for economy

Plans for the UKs first new coal mine in 30 years were quashed by a High Court judge yesterday in a decision branded disastrous for the economy.

Mr Justice Holgate sided with green activists and ruled planning permission should never have been given to the development in Whitehaven, Cumbria.

He said the previous governments decision to give the go-ahead to the development was legally flawed – upholding legal challenges from Friends of the Earth and South Lakes Action on Climate Change against the mines developer, West Cumbria Mining (WCM).

The environmental groups successfully argued the greenhouse gas emissions created by burning the coal should be considered. The ruling is the latest court decision to block new fossil fuel developments.

Supporters of the coal mine – which would have created 500 jobs – criticised yesterdays decision.

The coal mine in Whitehaven in Cumbria would have been the first new coalmine in Britain in the more than 30 years 

Mr Justice Holgate (pictured) sided with green activists and ruled planning permission should never have been given to the development

Former Conservative energy secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg, who lost his seat to Labour in the July election, said the mine would be of economic benefit to the UK 

Former Conservative energy secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg said: The judiciary once again seek to replace political judgment with their politically correct judgment.

Coal is needed globally and this mine would be of economic benefit to the UK. Now the economic benefit will go abroad and emissions will not change. This is how the green ideology makes us cold and poor.

Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice said: This is a disastrous decision, driven by the Net Zero zealots, who are successfully destroying business, destroying jobs and destroying the economy. If we carry on like this we will cease to be a significant economy within ten years.

WCM said its mine would have had a broadly neutral effect on the global release of greenhouse gas.