Petition received: 10 July 2007

Principal Petitioner: Mrs G. M. Ball

Number of Petitioners: 77

COAL M TAN

We would like to take the opportunity of using the petitions system under the new powers of the Welsh Assembly Government.

The petition wants a stronger Coal M TAN that provides:-

• A strict presumption against opencast coal mining in our communities for any new applications or extensions from now onwards.
• A 500 metre minimum separation distance that is ‘absolute’ should any future opencast go ahead. The 500m should only be flexible for increase and have no caveats to reduce it.
• The 500m should include all homes, even 1-9 dwellings (that are at present not protected at all by the 350m existing distance). These rural hamlets and the citizens in isolated dwellings have, at present, unequal status and protection.
• The public consultations that took place after the Draft coal M TAN was released showed public in favour of 500m which would, in effect, have a presumption against if implemented.
• Because the people of Wales are on and near the coal, further opencast mining should be discouraged as there are environmental, health and social studies that advocate its unsuitability as sustainable, acceptable or healthy development for the future.