§ Mr. Mike O'BrienTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy toward reapplications to opencast the same site following privatisation of coal.
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§ Mr. BaldryEach case will be considered on its merits, but I will consider the need for specific policies in the revision of minerals planning guidance 3. There is no time limit before a reapplication may be made.
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the occasions in the last 20 years when very special circumstances have been shown under the Opencast Coal Act 1958 to allow a second application to be granted to opencast a site previously opencast.
§ Mr. BaldryFigures are available only since 1984. Since that time, there have been five occasions on which special circumstances have been shown to allow compulsory rights orders to be confirmed in respect of sites previously opencast. Applications for a second compulsory rights order for the same site will be considered on their merits.