Here is a link to the March 2021 Newsletter
Category Archives: Members News
Site Visits to Nenthead Mines in March 2021
We are hosting visits by the Environment Agency and Coal Authority on 10th,12th,16th and 17th of March – weather permitting. Specialists will be examining the water leats and reservoir on our site, including the ones leased by the Hydro company.
They may be using ground penetrating radar to try and discover whether there are any hidden features on the site.
The visitors will also be on land owned by Weardale Estates.
Members Newsletter December 2020
The Members Newsletter for December 2020 is here
The Society landholdings at Nenthead
These two maps show the areas owned by the Society. When the formal land registration process as been completed, copies of the land registry maps will be substituted for these maps. The boundaries of the land holdings are shown as red lines on the maps. Detailed maps will be added after the formal registration has been completed.
Members Newsletter April 2020
The Newsletter is available here https://www.nentheadmines.com/newsletter-april-2020-v1p/
GOVERNMENT MINE WATER TREATMENT SCHEMES
INFORMATION SOURCES
You can keep up to date with the proposals for the Nent and West Allen rivers by going to the Gov UK website at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/metal-mine-water-treatment
We will publish a selection of documents on our website, including copies of paper documents distributed at Consultation Events. These paper documents are usually available from the Gov UK website.
LATEST DOCUMENTS 5th SEPTEMBER 2017
**New ** NEXT ROUND OF CONSULTATION
Follow this link for the latest letter from the EA. EA Update
NENTSBERRY WEIR 18th MAY 2017
A proposal to build a new weir downstream from Nentsberry Haggs Mine. The Planning application is on the Eden District Council planning portal.
SITE EVALUATION CRITERIA 17TH MARCH 2017
The EA are asking for feedback about their proposals for Nenthead and Nentsberry. The information and feedback forms are here – Nenthead and Nentsberry proposals
This document works through the criteria for choosing treatment sites – Site Evaluation Criteria.
REBUILDING THE MINE WATER SAMPLING WEIRS 17TH MARCH 2017
The Coal Authority contractors are renewing the water measuring devices in Caplecleugh Low, Rampgill and Nentsberry Haggs Levels. This work will start on 27th March and should be completed by 31st March.
Please note that the works include concrete weirs – we are asked to avoid the mines during the construction works, and to keep a look out for any damage to the weirs.
The newly constructed weirs should facilitate more consistent measuring of the water flows and collection of water samples.
Need more information? email admin@nentheadmines.com
Floods and Drains 5th July 2017
Gallery

This gallery contains 4 photos.
The drain adjacent to the Barracks building has been slow to clear for some months. On 5th July we dug, rodded and flushed the drain in order to find out where the water should be going. A dose of fluorescein … Continue reading
JUNE 2017 UPDATE – MINE WATER TREATMENT SCHEMES
This is a copy of as recent letter from the Environment Agency and the Coal Authority.
Community up- date June 2017
1 Next public participation meetings
A short list of areas for the proposed mine water treatment schemes for the Nent Haggs adit in Nentsberry and the Caplecleugh adit in Nenthead has now been created.
This follows discussions regarding the long list of proposed areas undertaken at the public meetings in October 2016.
The next public participation events will be on 6 and 7 July 2017 at Nenthead Village Hall.
On this occasion we will be available for an extended time period from 8.00am to 9.00pm on each day, at a drop in event. We hope that this will allow more people the opportunity to see the proposals and talk to the team.
Each short listed site will be displayed with a site design, photograph, ordnance survey location map and information relating to the site criteria.
As usual there will be representatives from both the Coal Authority and the Environment Agency on hand to answer questions relating to the short list of sites.
2 Update on sediment trap (check weir) installation at Nentsberry and dredging works at Nenthead
A planning application for the work to install a sediment trap in the river, with vehicle access across the field near the Old Chapel, was submitted to Eden District Council on 15 May 2017.
Full details are available on their website at: www.eden.gov.uk – go to ‘search planning applications’ and use application number: 17/0362
This information has been circulated locally by email and properties nearby to the proposed site have been informed through the planning process.
Construction works at Nentsberry are due to commence during mid July, subject to the necessary statutory approvals. These works are scheduled for 12 to 15 weeks with completion due before the end of October 2017. The site team will endeavour to minimise any disruption.
It is necessary to carry out access improvement works and this will be managed by 2-way traffic lights. The duration of these works will be carried out earlier in the project to minimise traffic disruption.
Works at Nenthead to dredge the existing check weirs is due to commence in July, subject to the necessary statutory approvals. These are due to be completed in 6 to 8 weeks.
During the works it will be necessary to segregate the public from the operational plant for health and safety reasons, especially to minimise the disruption to walkers. Access to private properties will be maintained at all times.
Should you have any concerns or questions regarding either project, please do contact the Coal Authority on the Nent Haggs number 0345 762 6848 or contact me directly in office hours on the number below.
3 Other work and surveys
United Utilities are have almost finished their work to the mains water supply at Nentsberry. There will be some presence on site to test the new system which should be completed during w/c 12 June.
Survey works on the long list areas for mine water treatment schemes will continue throughout June, leading up to the next meetings.
There are specific ground investigations for the check weir build project planned for w/c 19 June.
Previous information relating to these projects can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/nent-haggs-mine-water-treatment-scheme-proposed
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me – Jeremy Regan
T: 01623 637178
E: jeremyregan@coal.gov.uk, Stakeholder Engagement Manager, The Coal Authority
200 Lichfield Lane, Mansfield, NG18 4RG
ENVIRONMENT AGENCY WATER TREATMENT PROPOSALS
CLEANING UP THE RIVER NENT
The Environment Agency are developing schemes to clean up the River Nent by reducing the amount of zinc in the river . The mine water discharges contribute to the zinc content of the river. The impact of these schemes on the mines is not yet fully understood. Will the historical features be damaged?, will access be reduced or curtailed? where will the treatment plants be sited? – these questions are not completely answered.
Find out more and contribute to the discussion at the next Public participation events on two days in March. On both days there will be an “Open House” from 1400 to 1700 hrs – with a chance to speak to the EA and Coal Authority teams, and public workshops from 1800 to 2000hrs.
13 March Nenthead Village Hall – for the Rampgill and Caplecleugh proposals.
14 March Nenthall Hotel – for the Nentsberry Haggs proposals.
see more at Environment Agency consultation
WEEDING,HACKING, MORTARING AND POINTING
19th October 2016 dawned with some sunshine and temperatures around 11 C. Graham Brooks, Alec Langley, Steve Bentley and Peter Jackson carried out emergency repairs to the pointing and flashing on the Assay House walls and the Barracks south chimney stack. The warm weather has encouraged more plant growth around the Smelting Mill which Sheila Barker removed and filled one large bag.