So what happened to the £22 million part of which was to reinstate the Parish Road?
Selar, Glynneath.
This site extends to a total of 380 ha, is operated by Celtic Energy Ltd and has been the subject of a series of extensions, with a current undetermined planning application for a further extension being considered by the LPA (Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council). There currently remains approximately 600,000 tonnes of coal to be extracted, and the current application would result in a further 800,000 tonnes being extracted from within the same site footprint. Planning permissions for previous site extensions have enabled a restoration bond to be accumulated. This currently stands at approximately £19m and is estimated to be £22m by April 2014. This level of bond cover, coupled with the completion of a substantial amount of restoration to date, is believed to be sufficient to ensure restoration of the site. The site ownership has reportedly transferred to Sycamore Regeneration Inc., a subsidiary of Oak Regeneration Ltd.
Vikki Howells MS for Cynon Valley said, on April 8 2021
I've been supporting Rhigos residents in the campaign to reopen Old Parish Road for several yrs. Unfortunately, the decision lies with Neath Port Talbot CBC as it's outside the RCT border. I've written formally to them several times & will continue to lobby on this if re-elected.
Beth Winter MP for Cynon Valley said, on the 24 June 2021 When the Old Parish Road from Rhigos to Cwmgwrach was closed to make way for the surface mine, there was a clear commitment that it would be reinstated to its previous condition once the mine closed.
Instead the current proposal seeks to provide a forestry type road.
This is not acceptable. The original commitment must be honoured and respected.
Plenty of talk with no results at the end of it from the labour representatives.
So what happened to the £22 million part of which was to reinstate the Parish Road?
Below what Rhondda Cynon Taf Council specified
Six months prior to the completion of the development or earlier permanent cessation of operations, a scheme shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority for the re-instatement of the Parish
Road to a condition similar to that which existed prior to the commencement of mining operations. The re-instatement works shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details, within six months of the completion of the development, or the earlier permanent cessation of coal operations.
Reason: In the interests of road safety in accordance with Policy AW 5 of the Rhondda Cynon Taf Local Development Plan.
Why hasn’t the leader of Rhondda Cynon Taf Council followed this up?
Research into the failure to restore opencast coal sites in south Wales
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-51022726
