Kent council grants planning permit for controversial 'clean' coal-fired power station

The first coal-fired power station to be built in the UK in 24 years has been given planning consent by Kent council.

Medway councillors gave energy company E.ON UK the green light to construct two units in Kingsnorth near Rochester.

The company claims the station will be 20% cleaner than the current one. It says it will be more eco-friendly by capturing carbon and storing it in used up oil fields under the North Sea.

Opponents, however, say it will damage the environment.

If the project is approved by the government, the new station will open in 2012 and supply 1.5 million homes with energy.

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