REFUSAL to give planning permission to an open-cast mine in Bacup has been upheld following a public inquiry.

Lancashire County Council refused planning permission to Wakefield company HRM Resources for a type of open-cast mining to excavate 140,000 tonnes of coal and 250,000 tonnes of clay from Thieveley Colliery, Heald Moor, Bacup, in 2002.

But the proposals went to an inquiry when the company appealed against the decision.

However, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has ruled that the scheme would "cause substantial harm to the amenity of local residents through the increase in HGV traffic and would cause environmental harm".

Planning permission already exists for parts of the colliery where coal has been extracted, although these permissions are due to run out this year.

The failed application would have meant the simultaneous excavation of coal and clay on a different section of the land.

Until now, coal has been excavated from underground shafts but the new planning application asked for a form of open-cast mining.

A series of objections from various agencies lead to county councillors throwing the plans out.

Burnley Council was concerned about damage to the environment and local nature groups such as Burnley Wildlife Advisory Group wrote to the county council to say the development would have a detrimental effect on the bird population and vegetation - 99 letters of objection were received by residents in the area, along with a 827-signature petition.

The application was a scaled-down version of a plan that was refused in 2001, when a request was made for 208,000 tonnes of clay and 140,000 tonnes of coal to be extracted.

That refusal was on the grounds that the project would lead to an increase in the number of lorries using the A681 Bacup-Todmorden Road.