Opencast Mining
9th March 2011
Dr Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of land remediation following the closure of open cast mining operations; and if he will make a statement.
Robert Neill: This Department has not carried out an assessment of this type but we would expect mineral planning authorities in England, when granting planning permission for opencast mining, to set site aftercare and restoration conditions. Such conditions are intended to secure the high standard of restoration of the land concerned. Additionally there are a number of post-extraction requirements on operators arising from the licence to operate issued by the UK Coal Authority and, if applicable, from the environmental permit issued by the Environment Agency.
