A COURT hearing will today determine whether protestors opposed to a opencast coalmine can be legally evicted.

A camp, on the Bradley site, near Dipton, started in early March, with the aim of halting the progress of work by the Banks Group.

Opposition groups have expressed concerns over the potential health impacts, loss of wildlife and ecology, and climate change.

If the hearing, at Newcastle Crown Court, goes in favour of the company, then the protestors will have to leave the site.

On Sunday, around 40 people gathered in support of the Campaign to Protect Pont Valley.

Resident Julia Triston said: “The camp is a collaboration between local residents and people from outside the area, who were invited to offer their skills and experience to our resident-led campaign.”

Banks Mining division, which is based in Meadowfield, near Durham City, plans to remove 500,000 tonnes of coal and says the scheme will support around 30 jobs.

Mining is scheduled for completion by 2021, with a restoration plan including a new nature reserve and parkland area.

Last week, plans for a similar coal mine at Druridge Bay on the Northumberland coast were overturned by Communities Secretary Sajid Javid.

Residents have been involved in legal challenges over plans for a surface mine at Bradley for many years.

Durham County Council rejected the proposal in February 2011 and the decision was upheld by a planning inspector after a public inquiry the following autumn.

A High Court judge later quashed the inspector’s decision on the grounds that it was “unreasonable and perverse and he had misunderstood Government planning guidance”.

But in 2015, following a second public inquiry, planning inspector Kathleen Ellison ruled in favour of UK Coal’s plan which has now been taken over by the Banks Group.

Banks Group spokesman Lewis Stokes said: "We are working with the owners of the land that will be developed as the Bradley surface mine site, who have commenced the legal proceedings required to obtain an order of possession against the small number of individuals who are currently trespassing on it, most of whom are from outside the area.

"We fully expect the necessary authorisations will be granted to enable our legitimate business operations to progress."