OPENCAST mining is always a controversial subject locally. But, in the case of residents living in parts of Atherton and Daisy Hill, Westhoughton, the problem lingers -- four years after work finished.
Here, promised landscaping has not materialised, and residents feel that not only is the result an eyesore, but it's also a potential death-trap.
The spectre of scarred and dangerous land is bound to reappear now as the Cutacre site gets the go-ahead after 20 years of protest.
Redevelopment and restoration of opencast sites is implicit in schemes, and it is disgraceful that local residents have been left in such a worrying situation for so long.
This needs to be addressed straight away, to banish the problem areas at Atherton and Westhoughton, and to ensure that the Cutacre residents can at least look forward to a pleasantly restored land in the future.
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