There are plans to plant a forest in the area of the old mine

BBC

The mine closed in 2020 and will be turned into woodland and farmland

A significant number of trees could be planted to establish a new forest on a former coal mining site. 

Banks Mining has submitted a planning proposal to Durham County Council to plant 36,000 trees at the Bradley Surface Mine. 

This mine, situated near Consett, ceased operations in 2020 after the council turned down requests to extend its activities. 

In light of national and local goals to boost tree planting, Banks expressed its desire to revise its original restoration plans. 

A portion of the area will be handed over to Durham Wildlife Trust, while the farmland to the south will be sold. 

The remaining land will still belong to Banks Mining, where they plan to carry out the tree planting. 

The initiative aims to create 22 hectares of woodland. 

The company believes that enhancing the number of trees planted will lead to better land restoration. 

"We propose to expand the new woodland area by planting these fields with a variety of native trees," they stated. 

This updated plan would increase the woodland area from four hectares (9.9 acres) to 22 hectares (54.4 acres). 

The new forest will feature 93% broadleaf trees, including species like pedunculate oak, hazel, crab apple, sessile oak, cherry, silver birch, and downy birch. 

A footpath will meander through the woodland, which is considered more appealing than the previously proposed trail.