PEOPLE opposed to a large opencast project on their doorstep have been warned to be ready to fight the battle again.

Hall Construction Services (Halls) of Durham wants to remove 500,000 tonnes of coal and fireclay at Skons Park, next to the historic Gibside Estate near Burnopfield.

Its plans were rejected by Gateshead Council last year and the company had lodged an appeal to overturn the decision - but this was withdrawn recently.

However, in a video message, Gateshead councillor Dr Jonathan Wallace has warned that Halls is expected to return with a stronger application later this year.

Coun Wallace, who represents the Gibside area, was one of the leading figures in the battle against the application in 2005 and last year and drafted a petition signed by more than 16,000 people opposing the plan.

Coun Wallace said: "We need to be focused on defeating the plan when it arrives.

"Halls has learnt its lessons of the past couple of years. It must have realised that its first application was not good enough to survive the scrutiny of a public inquiry.

"It is clearly not going to go away, so residents will have to be ready for the battle ahead.

"We need to be ready to fight for this important area of the Derwent Valley.

"We need to be ready to do battle to avoid the disruption to people in their homes along the route the lorries would take if the application went ahead."

The video message will be sent to residents later this month as part of his email newsletter to constituents.

There are fears for the impact the opencast mine would have on communities and the environment surrounding the earmarked site. But there is also concern over its proximity to Gibside, the National Trust estate and a former home of the Bowes-Lyons, the family of the late Queen Mother.

The company - which has said the coal such an operation would yield would be of high-quality - is seeking to improve its proposed site reclamation package and is expected to submit its scheme in November or December.

Other key figures in the fight have been Blaydon Labour MP Dave Anderson, North-East Euro MP Stephen Hughes and North Durham Labour MP Kevan Jones.

There was no one available for comment at Halls yesterday.