A MINING company is digging in its heels after two planning authorities gave opposite verdicts on its proposed opencast site.

RJB Mining wants to extract 580,000 tonnes of coal and 180,000 tonnes of fireclay from a 104-hectare site at Southfield, Brusselton, in Heighington parish, over a 28-month period.

Durham County Council rejected the application last week but on Wednesday, Darlington Borough Council - which has more of the land within its boundary - approved it.

No work can take place on the site until planning permission is gained from both authorities.

But a spokesman for RJB, Britain's biggest coal producer, confirmed that it intends to either resubmit an application to Durham or appeal to the Secretary of State for the Environment against the county council's earlier decision.

On Wednesday, Darlington planning committee heard objections from local people and neighbouring parish, town and district councils including Heighington, Shildon, Etherley and Sedgefield.

But after considering a report by planning officer, Mr Jeremy Smith, the committee decided to follow his recommendations and approve the application.

The decision was described yesterday as "naive" by Coun Eric Thompson, the chairman of Heighington Parish Council.

He said: "We are worried about the watercourses going into Johnny Best Beck. One has already stopped up because of works at Eldon deep mine and we don't want any more. Despite our fears, RJB has been unable to give any guarantees."

Coun Thompson also accused Darlington Borough Council of ignoring Heighington, saying: "They are not bothered about us; we are not considered part of Darlington here."

Coun John Alderson, a member of Durham County council planning committee, said its decision to reject the application was largely due to the effect opencast mining would have on Shildon in terms of its regeneration.

He said: "We were also concerned that this would not be a one-off and that piecemeal work would follow."