The number of disused coal tips in Wales has been made publicly
available today with interactive maps showing the locations of
the 350 that are inspected more frequently.
The publication of the data comes after the Coal Tip Safety
Taskforce was established following the landslide in Tylorstown
in February 2020.
A key objective from the taskforce was to address the gap in
information around disused coal tips and, as a result, the Coal
Authority were commissioned to lead on a data collection project
by Minister for Climate Change, .
In October 2021, the Welsh Government published a breakdown of
tips by Local Authority and classifications where sites that
require frequent inspections were labelled as C and D.
Climate Change Minister said: “I would like to thank
the Coal Authority, Local Authorities and Natural Resources Wales
for their help and support in preparing the data for publication.
“It has been a mammoth undertaking to identify, record and
categorise all disused coal tips in Wales into a single central
database, which did not exist before.
“For this data release, we have focused on category C and D tips
as they are need more frequent inspections so we can identify and
carry out any maintenance when needed.”
The Welsh Government has written to more than 1,500 landowners
and almost 600 occupiers of properties across Wales to inform
them that they have all, or part of a disused coal tip on their
land.
Maintenance and inspection work will continue as usual, and the
Welsh Government has made an additional £44.4m available to Local
Authorities for work to continue on both public and privately
owned tips.
The Welsh Government has set up a dedicated webpage and is also
holding drop-in sessions in communities impacted across Wales and
hosting online events to support residents affected.
The Minister added: “In our Programme for Government, we also
committed to introducing legislation during this Senedd term.
“Our priority is to ensure that people living and working near
coal tips feel safe and secure now and in the future.
“Our proposals will achieve that by setting in place a long-term,
fit for purpose regime which will be led by a newly created
public body.
“The First Minister included the Disused Tips Bill in his summer
2023 legislative statement and I look forward to the progression
of the Bill when it is introduced to the Senedd next year.”
Notes to editors
Find disused coal tips |
GOV.WALES
