§ Dr. John A. Cunninghamasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) whether the element of dereliction resulting from the use of land for sludge lagoons for Coal Board washeries is increasing; and at what annual rate;
(2) how many acres of derelict land in England and Wales have resulted from the construction of coal washeries lagoons for sludge and effluent.
§ Mr. Graham PageThe information is not available. The derelict land surveys do not include land in operational use. Any abandoned sludge lagoons are included but are not separately identified.
§ Dr. John A. Cunninghamasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list the statutory controls that can be exercised by his Department in respect of the construction of washery settling lagoons by the National Coal Board;
(2) if he will list the provisions of the law which require the National Coal Board to seek planning permission before constructing coal washery settling lagoons.
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§ Mr. Graham PageSection 13 of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1962, would require planning permission to be obtained for any such lagoon unless it were in the immediate vicinity of a pithead, in which event it would be authorised as permitted development under the Town and Country Planning General Development Order, 1963. However, my right hon. Friend has power to initiate a direction under Article 4 of that Order, or to approve one made by the local planning authority, to require a planning application to be made for anything which would normally be permitted development.
§ Dr. John A. Cunninghamasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the estimated environmental effect of the proposed washery settling lagoon at Lowca in Cumberland.
§ Mr. Graham PageAs the National Coal Board has decided to look for another site, the question will not arise.