BASERESULT WELCOMES PLANNING COMMITTEE MEETING

Managers at Baseresult Holdings Ltd, owners of South Crofty tin mine, welcome the fact that their Review of Mineral Planning Permissions (ROMPs) application will be determined at a County Council meeting on Thursday.

‘We are delighted that members of the planning committee will be given the opportunity to vote on the matter at the meeting,’ said Kevin Williams, Managing Director.  ‘We first submitted an application in March 2003 but further requests for information have led to a somewhat protracted process that has frustrated us because we have not been able to get on with our mining plans.  We realise individual council members are not to blame for that – the requests for more information have come out of the consultation so this will be the first chance that planning committee members have had to actually look at the detail in the document and make a decision on the application.

‘If the application is determined we can finally focus on our preparations for mining tin and that has to be excellent news for the Camborne, Pool, Redruth area – and indeed for the whole of Cornwall.

‘People have continually criticised us for not making progress but our workforce has been preoccupied with the ROMPs for much of the last four years.  All we have ever said is give us a chance.  We are confident that we can mine tin profitably at South Crofty so why not let us get on with the job?  We have already invested millions of pounds in this venture – why on earth would we do that if we weren’t serious about our intent?

‘It is wrong to suggest that we are at loggerheads with the council as the Mineral Planning Authority. On the contrary, we are looking forward to working and moving forward with them on a plan that we all hope will restore mining prosperity and pride to West Cornwall.

‘Thursday represents a hugely important milestone.  Let’s hope that it’s a positive one for Cornwall’s economy, its industry and, most importantly, its people.’