Transformation of Former Colliery Site in Yorkshire Commences

July 31, 2012 - PRLog -- As the concrete was laid the cheer of the crowd, there to witness the official ceremony for the start of the reclamation and restoration of the former Rossington Colliery near Doncaster, resonated around the desolate site.  

Guests were invited to the foundation laying event to witness Mayor of Doncaster Peter Davies, perform the official duty to mark the beginning of a new future for the residents of the Doncaster village.

“This is a terrific day for Doncaster in general and Rossington in particular,” commented Mayor of Doncaster Peter Davies. “The work undertaken here by RecyCoal will bring tremendous benefits to the area including the creation of 70 jobs, and the reclamation of the land to allow 1,200 new homes to be developed.  The coal taken from this site will be sent to local power stations and the aggregate will be transferred to landfill for the FARRS project ensuring nothing is left for waste.  

“Overall this is another great development for South Doncaster which will lead to the creation of hundreds of jobs in the longer term.”

The 112.5 hectare (ha) site includes the Rossington colliery spoil heap which will be reclaimed and restored to public open space for biodiversity enhancement and public recreation over the next five years.

RecyCoal, the company behind the project, will clean up over 13 million tonnes of colliery spoil, create 70 jobs and recover 950,000 tonnes of coal over four years for electricity generation. RecyCoal will also use the site to train new employees for its growing business in the UK, the USA, Australia, Poland and South Africa.

CEO of RecyCoal, Tom Allchurch commented: “To be able to celebrate this momentous day with our invited guests is a testament to the determination by local authorities, businesses and individuals to transform this area into a place where local villagers can once again explore and benefit from.

“The first process of this development is the reclamation of coal from the spoil heap which the foundations laid today will form part of.  Over the next four years Rossington will also be used as a training base which will bring further opportunities to the local economy in addition to the 70 jobs created by this restoration project.”

Restoration of the site will form a valuable part of local public open space providing opportunities for nature conservation and public recreation. A variety of natural habitats will be created. Woodland areas will cover approximately 29 ha with the planting of over 70,000 trees. Grasslands will cover 49.5 ha and wetlands will occupy around 9 ha.

Other benefits of the scheme include a memorial garden, an area for allotments for local people and land that will revert to agricultural use. In order to allow access for public recreation 7 km of footpaths and bridleways will be created across the site.

Note to editors:
RecyCoal is the UK’s leading waste coal recovery company. RecyCoal has 30 years of experience of operating a unique coal recovery, land reclamation and remediation business, which has returned many former colliery tips to beneficial amenity and employment uses.

Media Contact: David Stafford, Sales and Marketing Manager, RecyCoal Ltd, Spinner Point, Lakeside Boulevard, Doncaster, DN4 5PL, United Kingdom.
Tel: +44 (0)1302 379227.    E: davidstafford@recycoal.com       http://www.recycoal.com