THE DEBATE on whether the Government should authorise a coal mine in Whitehaven rumbles on and as the deadline looms for the final verdict, a top steel boss has called the arguments of supporters into question.

West Cumbria Mining’s application to build a coking coal mine dubbed the Woodhouse Colliery was initially approved in 2020 but backlash against the decision led the Government to call-in the plans.

A public inquiry followed in 2021 involving the applicant’s legal team, politicians, members of the public and opposition groups – Friends of the Earth and South Lakes Action on Climate Change.

The Department for Levelling-Up, Housing and Communities will now issue approval or refusal by July 7.

READ MORE: Gove set to approve Cumbrian coal mine, senior Tory source claims

Supporters of the mine say that domestic metallurgical coal for steel production would cut the UK’s reliance on foreign nations for the product.

But Chris McDonald, chief executive of the Materials Processing Institute, has said the argument that the mine would slash exports from abroad “doesn’t stack up.”

Speaking to the Observer, he said: “There’s a frustration hearing other industries speaking on behalf of the steel industry when the steel industry itself has not come out to say that it wants this mine.

“I would contend that there isn’t a demand for it. The case for the mine has been built around the need for coking coal produced in the UK for the UK steel industry.”

READ MORE: Friends of the Earth urge Cumbrian MPs to oppose coal mine

He said that this is the case of the coal industry but it “doesn’t stack up with the needs of the steel industry.”

Mayor of Copeland Mike Starkie spoke in support of the plans at the contentious public inquiry in 2021.

He said: “The West Cumbria Mining project is an important new, export led industrial project.

“It is a significant employer and new skills opportunity for Copeland and West Cumbria at this extremely challenging and difficult time.

“It will supply the domestic and European steel industry with high quality metallurgical coal.”

In April Mr Starkie wrote to Levelling-Up boss Michael Gove, urging him to approve the mine.

He said that it is urgent given the War in Ukraine as Britain currently exports 1.6 million metric tons of coal from Russia.

In a visit to Workington last week, leader of the Labour Party Kier Starmer said that a new coal mine “isn’t the way forward” for job generation in Cumbria.

“The really good new generation jobs in tech and digital, they’re all in nuclear, renewables. What I would say it, let’s grasp those opportunities.”

Copeland Conservatives have hit back at Sir Keir over his comments opposing the mine.

Andy Pratt, Chairman of Copeland Conservative Association said: "We are disappointed – but not surprised – that Sir Keir Starmer, Leader of the Labour Party, has used his visit to West Cumbria to speak out against the Woodhouse Colliery mine in Whitehaven.

“Copeland Conservatives are 100 per cent supportive of this development. It will bring significant investment into our area, providing well-paid jobs and opportunities both at the mine directly - during construction and operation - and in the supply chain.

“Furthermore, by accessing a homegrown source of coking coal for the steel-making industry, it will reduce our reliance on imported coal and the damaging environmental impact this has.”