Lithgow residents were shocked on Tuesday by Centennial Coal’s announcement it would close its Angus Place Colliery.

The shattering news meant 268 jobs would be lost from the facility at a time when the company had been planning to carry out a multi-million revamp of its underground operation.

However, it is believed that was shelved by Centennial Coal, who had grave concerns following last week’s Planning Assessment Commission’s (PAC) decision to veto the expansion of Coalpac’s Cullen Valley mine.

Bathurst Business Chamber president Angus Edwards yesterday said the closure of the two mines, the winding up of the Wallerawang Power Station and the moth balling of the Kirkconnell Correctional Centre would have far reaching implications on Lithgow.

“Having two mines close is a double-whammy no community wants to hear,” Mr Edwards said.

“Lithgow doesn’t have anywhere near the type of the diverse economy that Bathurst has. It’s a mining town. We have primary, secondary and tertiary sectors to fall back on. They have such an emphasis on the coal industry.”

Mr Edwards said the fall-out of the job losses would be felt by contractors in Bathurst.

“And then there’s the people who travel from Bathurst and surrounding areas to work in the mines at Lithgow. They are out of a job and will have to rethink their future,” he said.

Oberon mayor John McMahon yesterday described the job losses as “very bad news”.

“I don’t know how many Oberon jobs would be gone, but there are people here who travel to work in the mines at Lithgow,” he said.

“The thing is this will have an impact on the whole region because of the multiplier effect. For every job lost in the mine there’s five other jobs created outside that are reliant on that position.”

Cr McMahon said outside interests had played a big role in Lithgow’s woes.

“One wonders why the greenies from over the Blue Mountains were ever allowed to have a say in the whole thing at Coalpac. They are cruelling the area,” he said.