THE government is planning to remove a proposed ban on the opening of new coal mines from a bill travelling through parliament, in a boost to the planned Whitehaven colliery.

Members of the House of Lords have added the clause into the Energy Bill which is being debated currently in the upper chamber.

Earlier this year, peers in the House of Lords narrowly backed a ban on the opening of new coal mines by 197 votes to 194, leaving a majority of three.

The enforced change to the Energy Bill comes after Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove approved the opening of a new coal mine in December in what is set to be the first new coal mine in the UK in 30 years - leading to accusations of 'environmental vandalism' from campaigners.

A spokesperson for the government said the plans were made with 'careful consideration' and added that they will continue to engage with politicians from across the different parties.

The facility on the edge of Whitehaven in Cumbria is expected to extract nearly 2.8million tonnes of coal per year for use in steel-making, rather than power generation, and supporters of the scheme have said it will create 500 jobs.

But critics warn it will create more greenhouse gas emissions as the Government seeks to meet its net zero target and argue it is hypocritical in the wake of UK efforts on the international stage to show climate leadership and urge the world to give up on coal.

They want to see investment in green jobs.

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The West Cumbrian mine has backing from local Conservative MPs including Copeland’s Trudy Harrison and Workington’s Mark Jenkinson.

Shadow energy secretary Ed Miliband had said Labour would back the ban, but the government plans to remove the amendment from the bill at committee stage.

Two legal challenges to the government’s decision to grant planning permission for the controversial West Cumbrian will be heard from October 24 to October 26, the High Court has said.

The challenges by Friends of the Earth and South Lakes Action on Climate Change (SLACC) will take place over three days in a ‘rolled up’ hearing.

In practice this is the same as a trial, in that the court is expected to allow each claimant to argue its case in full.