Britain will not ban the construction of coal-fired power stations while new technology is being developed to cut their carbon emissions, Ed Miliband, the energy secretary, has said.

Mr Miliband will decide next year on Eon's application to build a coal-fired power station at Kingsnorth, Kent. The contentious application, fiercely opposed by environmental groups and the main opposition parties, is seen as a bellwether for a new generation of coal plants. Several other energy companies have plans for new coal plants in the pipeline.