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Introduction We have created a newsletter in order to keep the general public aware of status of the project. To download the latest edition click here. The Planning Application for the 'Ffos-y-fran Land Reclamation Scheme', incorporating extraction of coal by opencast methods, being the final phase of the East Merthyr Reclamation Scheme, has now been submitted to Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council by Miller Argent (South Wales) Limited. The area to the east of Merthyr Tydfil has suffered severe dereliction over the years and its reclamation has been high on the agenda of the local authority. The East Merthyr Reclamation Scheme was the initiative of the former Merthyr Tydfil Borough Council and Mid Glamorgan County Council, in partnership with the Welsh Development Agency (WDA), in the mid 1980's and was launched by the Secretary of State for Wales following the grant of planning permission. The Scheme is consequently included in the current local plan which identifies both the derelict land and the area of the intended scheme to the east of Merthyr Tydfil. The East Merthyr Reclamation Scheme has sought to reclaim the derelict land to the east of Merthyr Tydfil by way of opencast coal mining operations, restoring the land to beneficial use at no cost to the public purse. Phases I and II of the Scheme have been completed but Phase III has been delayed until now whilst access to the land was sought. Phases I and II have already brought about the restoration of some 106ha of derelict land, which today provides residential, light industrial and recreational uses. The 'Ffos-y-fran Land Reclamation Scheme' would see the final completion of these proposals. Whilst planning consent for Phase III was granted in November 1988, it was generally envisaged by the developers, particularly the former British Coal Corporation, that the final phase of the Scheme would not deal with all the dereliction in the area and would sterilise as large a reserve of coal as it would win. It was therefore formally proposed in 1994 that the Scheme be revised to recover the larger proven reserve in line with government guidance, and reclaim a larger area of derelict land, whilst simultaneously addressing a number of environmental concerns not originally considered in the Phase III proposals. The revised Scheme, submitted by Merthyr Tydfil Borough Council was referred to as 'Phase IIIA' and it is the area of this proposal that is reflected in the local plan. However, this proposal was withdrawn in May 1999 whilst issues of land access remained unresolved. Miller Argent have resolved all of these issues, and the Scheme can now move forward.
The 'Ffos-y-fran Land Reclamation Scheme' has been designed to replace the fundamental aims of the Phase IIIA proposal whilst fully addressing the more stringent environmental concerns of the present day. The extent of this Application and the difference between these various schemes, including the location of the earlier phases is shown on the drawing overleaf. The community of Merthyr has already substantially benefited from Phases I and II of the East Merthyr Reclamation Scheme, both of which included the extraction of coal by opencast methods. They will again similarly benefit from this final phase. The 'Ffos-y-fran Land Reclamation Scheme', in its own right, is the largest of the original three phases and would restore 367ha of derelict land, including the removal of known shafts and adits all previously associated with iron ore and coal workings, to finally complete the original land reclamation scheme. The land is presently in a very poor state, and, as well as evidence of fly tipping, the Council since May 2002 have removed 58 burnt out and stolen cars from the site, with further cars remaining. This Scheme will go a long way towards creating a better and safer environment for the local community. A Liaison Committee meeting was established in the summer of 2007, to discuss a range of topics such as site progress and environmental reports; councillors and the selected members of public have the opportunity to present questions, comments and concerns from their neighbourhoods to Miller Argent. To download the minutes of the most recent meeting click here. We have create a newsletter in order to keep the general public aware of status of the project. |
