THE Varteg Community group is still waiting for a decision fromthe public inquiry into Torfaen council’s rejection of plans for an opencast mine in the area.

In January last year Torfaen Council rejected the planning application from Glamorgan Power to extract 325,000 tonnes of coal at Varteg, near Pontypool, because of concerns over dust and noise pollution.

The firm appealed against the decision sparking the public inquiry, which was held at County Hall, Cwmbran, at the end of January and early February.

The inquiry lasted eight days and was held in front of Welsh Government-appointed officer Clive Nield, a chartered civil engineer, who heard arguments for and against plans for opencast mining.

Glamorgan Power claims the proposal is the only way to achieve reclamation of the land.

But hundreds of local residents opposed the proposals including teachers and parents from Ysgol Bryn Onnen, just 120 metres away from the planned site.

Joint chairman of the No Campaign for opencast mining at Varteg, Anthony Kinsella, said: “I have been checking my e-mails every morning and evening to see if a decision has been made.

“We’re waiting with bated breath for the result and are expecting direct communication from the Welsh Office. I’m sure they have to run through a set of specific rules and procedures but the time from the appeal until now is quite extended.

“We’re waiting patiently for the result and hoping it will be in our favour as it’s clear the community doesn’t want it.

“But the longer they leave the decision the more concerned I am getting that there are more irons in the fire. There is a tremendous amount of work going on regarding The British, which seems to be developing at pace, so I’m wondering if the delay might have something to do with that project.

“They could be hanging fire until something is paraded out at The British.”

Managing director of Glamorgan Power, Bernard Llewellyn, said: “It’s a waiting game, but we’re not concerned about the waiting as the application has been in for seven and a half years.

“We just want the right decision. The people of Varteg will lose out if we don’t get it. The plans would be beneficial to the local community.”

Aspokesman for the Welsh Assembly Government said: “We wrote to the main parties of the appeal on June 22 indicating that it would not be possible to issue the decision by the original target date of June 25.

“The case is still being worked on and we will issue the decision as soon as possible.”