Open cast coal mine remediation ‘woefully short of what was promised’

Chris Haines, ICNN Senedd reporter

Opencast mine developers have repeatedly “cut and run”, breaking promises on restoration and costing taxpayers hundreds of millions of pounds, a Senedd committee warned.

Llŷr Gruffydd, who chairs the climate change committee, led a debate on a report following an inquiry on the restoration of opencast mining sites.

He told the Senedd: “In all of the cases that we looked at, the restoration work has fallen woefully short of what was promised.

“We have seen companies – sometimes the same company – repeatedly cut and run without keeping to their end of the bargain. Restoration failures have meant losses to the public purse amounting to hundreds of millions of pounds.”

Mr Gruffydd raised concerns about a “clear lack of accountability” from site operators and public authorities, with those involved “refusing to take responsibility” when things go wrong.

‘Over a barrel’

The Plaid Cymru politician visited Ffos y Fran, the UK’s last opencast mine in Merthyr Tydfil which closed in 2023, alongside fellow committee members last week.

He said people living nearby have been proved right, with restoration plans revised : “This is exactly what many residents have feared.

“The stark reality is that the council just finds itself over a barrel. There’s not much it can do.

“But I hope and expect the council to do the right thing and ensure that residents are consulted on any proposals that come forward in the coming months.”

Mr Gruffydd welcomed the Welsh Government’s confirmation that new coal extraction should only be approved under “wholly exceptional circumstances”.

He also welcomed £25m from the UK budget for coal tip remediation in Wales, saying: “It is unlikely to be sufficient, as we all know, but it is a start.”

‘Incredible work’

Janet Finch-Saunders said: “The UK’s autumn budget has offered Wales a mere £25m for coal tip safety – better than nothing – but … in the grand scheme, it simply isn’t enough.”

The Tory shadow climate change minister bemoaned the closure of Ffos y Fran, “resulting in the sad reality that Wales must now import impure and dirty coal from abroad”.

She praised “incredible work” to restore the opencast mine back to a site of historical and environmental value, suggesting the Ffos y Fran scheme should be seen as good practice.

But her Plaid Cymru counterpart Delyth Jewell described Ffos y Fran as a debacle as she raised concerns about broken promises and environmental scars.

She said: “Those living near the mine are not the only people left staring into a void – there is a void, as well, an absence of clear accountability structures.”

‘Loophole’

Ms Jewell, who represents South Wales East, warned history could be repeated due to a loophole, pointing to plans involving “coal extraction almost by stealth” at Bedwas.

She argued Westminster should pay in full for coal tip reclamation, saying it will come at the expense of the environment if left to private companies.

Caerphilly MS Hefin David agreed that the issue pre-dates devolution, so “it’s not for the Welsh Government to be spending this money”.

But he was less sceptical about ERI Reclamation’s proposals, provided appropriate safeguards are in place in the planning system.

He said the company plans to restore the site, using coal only from the surface of the tip to fund the project, but will not be permitted to extract coal from the ground.

‘Crucial’

Dr David added: “If you gave unlimited money to the public sector to do this work, they would still have to contract it out, so they’d still have to find a contractor… to remediate a tip in a professionally certified and competent way.”

Responding to the debate on November 13, Huw Irranca-Davies outlined the Welsh Government’s formal response to the committee’s recommendations.

Wales’ climate change secretary said: “It’s crucial now that we have a structured means of dealing with the sites that are left behind. Our immediate task is to ensure we have the infrastructure in place to ensure coal tips are safe and not a threat to communities.

Mr Irranca-Davies, who is also deputy first minister, told the Senedd that a disused mine and quarry tips bill will be introduced before Christmas.

This article was amended to remove a claim by Rhianon Passmore that ten trucks an hour could be passing Sirhowy Country Park. According to ERI, three trucks an hour will travel down an existing forest track through the park on weekdays, between 7am and 5pm.