25 environmental charities, including the Campaign to Protect Rural England, Greenpeace, and the RSPB have written to the levelling up secretary, Michael Gove to tell him to reject plans for the proposed new coalmine in Whitehaven.

A decision on whether to approve plans for the controversial coal mine in west Cumbria was delayed until after Cop27 this week.

The organisations told Michael Gove that the postponement sent a 'deeply worrying signal'.

“It is surely a missed opportunity for the prime minister not to have been able to announce in front of other world leaders, at Cop27, that this country was ready to double down on its pledges in Glasgow to consign coal to history,” wrote the groups, which also include ClientEarth, The Wildlife Trusts and The Woodland Trust.

If approved, the coal mine would be the first to open in the UK in 30 years, with the firm behind the project claiming it would create around 500 jobs.

Mike Starkie, mayor of Copeland and supporter of the proposals, recently voiced frustration over the delays on the mine decision, and said: "I believe the date of July 7 that they gave us initially was stretching it, given they got the planning inspector’s report in April.

"It should have been approved then."

READ MORE: West Cumbria coal mine decision delayed for a third time