How green is Labour? Key decision

03 March 1999

How green is Labour? — Key decision

The High Court will be asked today to determine whether a greenfield site called Shortwood Farm can be developed as an opencast mine.

The Guardian describes the request as a test case on the governments pledges on environmental protection.

Two Labour controlled councils are seeking to overturn plans to develop the site on the Derbyshire border.

They will use for the first time new draft planning guidelines promised by Labour in opposition which reject open cast mining except in “exceptional circumstances”.

• The Guardian 03/03/99 page 8