West Cumbria Mining Ltd (WCM) has completed a new “multi-million pound funding package” for Woodhouse Colliery, near Whitehaven.
WORKSTREAMS
The undisclosed amount will finance the next development phase throughout 2023 and the start of construction in 2024.
WCM previously published its backer as Australian investment company EMR Capital Resources.
The company said it had also been working on recruiting key senior personnel, detailed engineering design, equipment procurement, progression of planning condition discharge and other associated pre-start work.
LEGAL CHALLENGE
WCM added that a further renewal appeal by opponents to the mine will be heard on 23 May 2023 at the Royal Courts of Justice.
The move follows the court’s initial refusal of a legal challenge on 12 April 2023 by Friends of the Earth (FOE) and South Lakes Action on Climate Change (SLACC).
The refusal was “on all grounds” and the company was awarded costs from both parties.
Both FOE and SLACC subsequently exercised their right for a renewal appeal on “all the original grounds” for the permission application to be heard verbally in the high court.
WCM said that the process would take a day and that the judge will normally issue the judgement on the same day.