ONE of Britain's largest coal producers has sought the help of a York company to get planning clearance for new opencast mines in Scotland.

Jennings Nicholson Associates, the York-based marketing communications consultancy, has been assigned by ATH Resources plc to apply its professional expertise in planning-related communications.

ATH Resources plc, based in Doncaster, and listed on the AIM or Alternative Investment Market on the Stock Exchange, operates sites in Scotland where it employs about 200 people.

It wants the York consultants to clear the way for an opencast project in Fife, which would yield about two million tonnes of high quality coal, suitable for electricity generation and industry.

The contract comes at the same time that Jennings Nicholson Associates' help is being sought by Veolia Environmental Services plc, formerly Onyx Environmental Group plc.

The group provides a complete portfolio of waste management services across the UK including the collection, treatment and disposal of waste produced by the public.

It plans a new six million cubic-metre new concept landfill facility at a brownfield quarry site, south of Horsham, in West Sussex, and wants Jennings Nicholson to mount a major public information and consultation programme to explain the scheme to all key stakeholders and to address their concerns.

The task follows previous successful liaisons between the two companies on other landfill, recycling and Energy From Waste projects in Yorkshire and elsewhere.

David Nicholson senior partner and founder of the consultancy, based in The Tannery, off Lawrence Street, said: "Naturally, we are very pleased that two industry leaders have selected Jennings Nicholson to promote their development projects.

"The new planning system places the onus on developers to engage the public more closely in the consultation process, and we will be helping both companies to address this issue effectively."

Updated: 11:01 Friday, March 03, 2006