§ Mr. GunnellTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what weight is given to potential respiratory problems in assessing opposition from neighbouring communities to an application for opencast mining.
§ Mr. Baldry[holding answer 29 June 1992]: Minerals Planning Guidance Note 3 advises mineral planning authorities that they will need to have regard to all material considerations when determining planning applications for opencast coal mining. However. I am advised that there is no evidence to suggest that surface mineral working causes any detrimental health effects on local communities.
§ Mr. GunnellTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if Her Majesty's Government will initiate a wide-ranging review on the effects of opencast mining on neighbouring communities.
§ Mr. Baldry[holding answer 29 June 1992]: No. the current planning guidelines on opencast coal mining are contained in Minerals Planning Guidance Note 3 (MPG 3) published in 1988. They advise mineral planning authorities of the need to have regard to all material considerations when determining applications and to consider in detail the environmental, nature conservation, agricultural, Iandscape, traffic and other effects of the proposal that are relevant to the planning decision.