HL Deb 02 February 1971 vol 314 cc1184-6WA
LORD DE CLIFFORD

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What areas in Shropshire are at present under consideration for opencast mining, and whether planning permission has been given for any of them.

LORD SANDFORD

Coalmoor Basalt, Ltd., have appealed to my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for the Environment against the refusal of Shropshire County Council to grant planning permission for the proposed opencast mining of fireclay and coal on a 49-acre site to the East of Little Wenlock. A public local inquiry into this appeal will be held on March 3.

No applications by the National Coal Board in respect of opencast coal mining are at present before my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. Other applications for planning permission fall to be dealt with by the County Council in the first instance, and the noble Lord may wish to make inquiries from them.

House adjourned at eight minutes past six o'clock.