CONTROVERSIAL plans to allow an opencast mine to operate on Varteg Hill have angered two county councillors from Blaenavon.

A public inquiry into the proposal was held over eight days in January and February 2012 after which the Welsh Government's planning inspector Clive Nield later recommended to the minister that the appeal by Glamorgan Power over Torfaen County Council's rejection of their plans to extract 256,000 tonnes of coal from the Varteg, should be allowed, subject to a number of conditions.

Now John Griffiths, the Welsh Minister for environment and sustainable development, has sent out a letter stating he is 'minded to approve' the planning appeal.

However, this response has angered Torfaen Councillors Alan Jones and Alun Furzer who have responded to the minister by pointing out that the County Council refused the application in January 2011 for very good reasons.

The councillors also pointed out that Lynne Neagle, Torfaen's AM, has spoken out against opencast mining in the Varteg and has requested that the inspector's report should be published.

In a letter to the Welsh minister the councillors said,"We write to express our anger and the concern of the local people over the appeal by Glamorgan Power Company Ltd's proposals for the site at Varteg Hill.

"We echo the calls by our Assembly Member for the publication of the report by the planning inspector.

"As Blaenavon is a UNESCO World Heritage dedicated site has the Welsh Government taken into account the effect on tourism on the town?

"There will, as we understand, be significant noise and dust caused by regular transportation of coal by lorry.

"In addition there will be significant dangers to pedestrians with the proposed route. In certain areas there are major problems at present when two heavy goods vehicles pass on the road, forcing them to mount the narrow pavement.

"The road structure is not suitable for this potential use by heavy transport, because it is not only steep in places but does not always have footpaths.

"We also note that the proposed opencast project is within the 500-metre buffer zone between opencast works and dwellings which the buffer zone is meant to protect."

No date has been set for when the final decision on the site will be made by Welsh ministers.