West Cumbria mine: How did we get here?

2014 – West Cumbria Mining announces plans for a new deep coal mine in Whitehaven

March 2019 – Cumbria County Council approves the mine plans for the first time

October 2019 – Cumbria County Council ratifies its original decision to approve the mine

November 2019 – UK government rejects requests for ministers to ‘call in’ the mine to consider themselves

May 2020 – Environmental campaigners withdraw their bid for a judicial review, after mine plans are amended

October 2020 – Cumbria County Council approves the mine for the third time

January 2021 – UK government again refuses to ‘call in’ the mine, despite growing controversy

February 2021 – Cumbria County Council announces it will reconsider the mine application, in light of “new information” on the UK’s carbon emission targets

March 2021 – UK government Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick decides to ‘call in’ the mine, saying it raises “issues of more than local importance”

September – October 2021 – A public inquiry on the mine is held, hearing from both sides of the argument over the course of a month

April 2022 – The planning inspector’s report on the mine is handed to Mr Jenrick’s successor as Communities Secretary, Michael Gove, with a deadline of 7 July set for a decision

6 July – The government’s decision is delayed amid turmoil over Boris Johnson’s position as Prime Minister

7 July – Greg Clark is appointed as new Communities Secretary

8 July – Interested parties are told by the government that its decision would be announced by 17 August

10 August – The government’s decision is delayed again, and a new deadline is set for 8 November

6 September – Liz Truss becomes Prime Minister and Simon Clarke is appointed as Communities Secretary

25 October – Rishi Sunak becomes Prime Minister. Michael Gove is brought back as Communities Secretary – making him responsible for the decision once again

2 November – The government’s decision is delayed again, ahead of the COP27 climate summit in Egypt

7 December – The government gives the go ahead for the