PROTESTORS opposed to the creation of an opencast coalmine on private land have until 4pm on Thursday to clear the site, a court has ruled.

An application to remove an illegal camp created at the Bradley site, at Dipton, near Stanley, in County Durham, was approved at Newcastle Crown Court on Tuesday morning.

The Banks Group has planning permission to remove 500,000 tonnes of coal from the land.

But opposition groups are concerned over the potential health impacts of opencast mining, loss of wildlife and ecology, and climate change.

Robyn Clogg, who lives 300 metres from the contested site, said: “Regardless of the outcome of today’s court hearing, residents will continue to fight Banks until we stop the opencast, which would bring coal dust and diesel fumes in gardens and houses and destroy this rich habitat and endanger local protected species.”

The work is expected to take three years and the restoration plan includes a new nature reserve and parkland area.

Lewis Stokes, community relations manager at The Banks Group, said: “We have worked with the owner of the land that will be developed as the Bradley surface mine site and have followed the correct legal procedures for facilitating the removal of the small number of individuals who have been trespassing on it.”