Planning panel for proposed NSW gold mine enters third day to hear social and water impacts

An independent planning panel has heard a mining company has failed to offer compensation to dozens of people living within two kilometres of a proposed gold mine in central west NSW. Key points: The Independent Planning Commission is hearing from 90 speakers both for and against the proposed gold mine near Blayney The proponent says an average of 260 jobs would be created during the mine's operational life Opponents say the potential environmental impacts mean it should be blocked For the past three days, the NSW Independent Planning Commission has been holding public hearings into the proposed open cut McPhillamys gold mine, slated for Kings Plains near Bathurst in the state's central west. Mining company Regis Resources has faced the panel to answer claims from residents, farmers and academics that the proposed mine would heavily impact the Kings Plains community, undermine groundwater security and pose a threat to local water catchments. He said that water coming from Lithgow's coal-fired power station would need to be transferred through a 90-kilometre pipeline, traversing properties from Lithgow to Kings Plains to be reused at the gold mine.