Bulga residents battling mine expansion hail NSW government planning decision

The NSW planning minister says a proposed amendment would give social and environmental issues equal standing with the economic in decision making

Residents in the New South Wales town of Bulga, which was previously earmarked for relocation due to the expansion of a nearby mine, have seized upon changes to the state's planning laws as potentially crucial in their battle to prevent the project's extension.

NSW planning minister Rob Stokes has released a proposed amendment to the state's mining environmental planning policy. The change removes a provision that makes the economic importance of resources "the principal consideration" when determining whether to allow mining projects.