Come on folks. I know that your local authority has a track record which you disagree with but maybe, this time, it would be worth looking at the scheme in the round.
This isnt a couple of blokes from ST doing some random drilling but the work is being carried out by Dunelm Geotechnical and Environmental Ltd and it is financed 50% by the European Regional Development Fund, in collaboration with the Coal Authority and Durham University.
There have been full project analyses and feasabilities but they never can predict what will be found as the actual work progresses.
The £3.5M or so that ST are contributing will seem just peanuts when and if the scheme is successful.
In the real world it is necessary to speculate to accumulate and the investment will almost certainly be better value for money than the millions spent on the sea front and cycles paths in S Shields.