A better future for Wales’ coal tips?
In response to the new Disused Mine and Quarry Tips Bill passed by the Welsh Government, our GrantFinder experts have been exploring how the many disused coal tips across the nation might be transformed for the benefit of local communities.
A many-sided question
This is a difficult, multifaceted issue: coal tips and related sites need to be maintained so residents can be assured of the safety they deserve. However, this is likely to cost a great deal of money without any promise of either return or end: £34m will be invested to manage the sites, but that money won’t be used to eliminate them completely. Even if this was the case, the removal of these tips would – in the eyes of many – damage the very fabric of local identity and history.
As such, both security and community are at the top of our agenda as we question whether coal tips and the lands surrounding them could be used for the benefit of people and local economy without sacrificing the proud, deep history these sites represent.
