I READ with interest your double piece outlining both sides of the opencast debate (Echo, Feb 3) and couldn’t agree more with Mr Styles, who puts forward a factual case showing that using indigenous UK mined coal is much better for the global climate than importing the coal, which we need for our industrial sector.

Why on earth are we delaying and refusing applications in the UK, whilst importing ten million tonnes of coal from countries like Russia and the US? In contrast, Ms Tarr appears to make unsubstantiated claims that she has zero evidence for – I highly doubt the local planning authority would allow the Bradley site to continue if these claims of noise, dust and blasting had any basis in truth. I personally would much rather support local jobs and investment and use locally sourced minerals than import from abroad and so as the Banks Mining Director notes “a UK coal sector doesn’t just make economic sense, it makes social, ecological, environmental and climate sense” and I hope UK politicians will start realising this and start making positive decisions.

Colin Hill, Marton.