The NSW Minerals Council has slammed the decision of the Independent Planning Commission (IPC) to refuse consent for the Glendell Continued Operations Project.
The Glendell open cut mine is part of Glencore Coal’s Mount Owen Complex at Ravensworth.
The project had proposed to continue mining for a further 21 years beyond current approvals.
Council chief executive Stephen Galilee said the determination jeopardised hundreds of jobs, half a billion dollars in investment, and demonstrated everything that is still wrong with the NSW planning system.
“The Glendell project would have secured nearly 700 jobs, delivered over $500 million in capital investment and provided well over $300m in royalties to the people of NSW,” he said.
“This refusal comes after three years of rigorous assessment by the Department of Planning involving 15 NSW Government departments and agencies. This process determined the project could be approved.
“As part of the IPC public hearings process, the Commission also received over 800 public submissions, with over two thirds supporting approval.
Despite this, the project has been refused by the delegated authority of a three-person IPC panel, acting on behalf of the NSW Government, with no accountability to either the government or the public.
“The ongoing ability of the IPC to freelance planning decisions is of great concern. The NSW Government has left the economic future of regional communities to the mercy of an unelected and unaccountable body, with no obligation to abide by any of the policies of the elected government of the day.”