Community groups have criticised the NSW government’s approval of the Wallarah 2 coal mine on the state’s Central Coast.

The mine has been in limbo for more than a decade since a mining application was first lodged in 2006. The then Minister for Planning rejected the application in 2011 due to issues relating to impacts on drinking water.

The $800 million thermal coal mine has stalled a number of times following these early rejections, including when negotiations broke down between its owner, Korean government-owned Kores, and the local Darkinjung Aboriginal Land Council over a $300 million land agreement for rail access.

The miner overcame this issue by using an overland conveyor system, rather than a rail system, to transport the coal, bypassing the need to negotiate with local indigenous groups.

Following a series of new applications and operational amendments, the NSW Planning Assessment Commission has given its approval for the mine.