§ Adam PriceTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has to increase protection for communities adversely affected by opencast mining. [35637]
§ Ms KeeblePlanning policies for Wales are the responsibility of the National Assembly.
Revised and strengthened policy for coal mining in England, including opencast working, was published in March 1999 in Minerals Planning Guidance Note 3. This sets out a policy presumption against the development of coal extraction sites. However, such development can be permitted if the proposal is environmentally acceptable or can be made so through the use of planning conditions or obligations, or, where this is not the case, where there are local or community benefits which clearly outweigh the adverse impacts. This is the means by which any possible adverse effects on communities from opencast mining proposals should be tested, and suitable mitigation measures applied in those cases where, with such action, the development could be made acceptable. In accordance with general planning policies, such measures, in the form of planning conditions or obligations, should be necessary, precise, relevant to planning, enforceable, directly relevant both to the development proposed and the avoidance of the adverse effects they are intended to prevent or reduce, and reasonable in all other respects. The Government consider that, within the normal operation of the planning system, these are matters best assessed by the local communities and local authorities who know the area best, and are most directly affected.
We have no plans to change this policy framework.