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Responding to a Coalfield Closure: Old Issues for a New Regional Development Agency?

This paper examines the response of a new Regional Development Agency, Yorkshire Forward, to the sudden announcement that the Selby coalfield in North Yorkshire would close with the potential loss of 4000 regional jobs. Once the ‘jewel in the crown’ of the UK coal industry, its demise has repercussions beyond the Selby district. Following an examination of coal industry restructuring, previous regeneration efforts and issues, the paper considers the impact of closure. It is argued that by rapid analysis of the situation and by leading a Task Force to engage a range of interested parties and experts, the RDA has demonstrated a coordinated sectoral and spatial response to crisis management.