AMs have voted in favour of a proposal in a debate by individual members Bethan Jenkins (Plaid Cymru), William Graham (Conservative), Lynne Neagle (Labour) and William Powell (Liberal Democrats) on 22 April 2015, to call upon the Welsh government to:

"a) instigate a moratorium on opencast mining across Wales, in order to ascertain whether planning law and current guidance provides sufficient protection for communities affected by opencast mining;

b) respond to the Research into the Failure to Restore Opencast Coal Sites in South Wales, stating specifically how it might address concerns about the workability of MTAN2 and the 500m buffer zone; and

c) support affected local authorities to make legal challenges, where required, when pursing restoration."

There were 30 votes in favour of the proposal, none against, and there were 16 abstentions.

The Minister for Natural Resources, Carl Sargeant, announced he will be convening a summit for the "key stakeholders...with a view to developing a distinctive Welsh deal on opencast."

He explained why the Welsh government did not support the proposal on the agenda:

"The first motion asks that I instigate a moratorium on opencast coal.

"Whilst I am sympathetic, this will not help resolve the situation that we find ourselves in.

"Nor will it help us secure effective restoration across Wales."

Turning to the second point of the motion, Mr Sargeant said "I can see the simplicity of a fixed buffer approach but the complexities we are faced with on the ground are numerous.

"Many south Wales valley communities are built on coal and so many still lie very close to both the coal resource and the unwanted past legacy.

"We cannot take action that results in restoration solutions being taken off the table.

"We need some flexibility going forward to work with stakeholders to find solutions."

Turning to the last point of the motion, he said "we have, and will continue make available, support to local authorities to deliver their planning services."

He concluded "the flawed business model that has resulted directly from privatisation is now apparent - particularly as the markets for coal have declined.

"I demand action from UK government to resolve the situation that privatisation has created.

"We need to find a way forward that takes proper account of the jobs the industry provides; the needs of local communities and the protection of our landscapes.

Adding "That is why I will be convening a summit for the key stakeholders with a view to developing a distinctive Welsh deal on opencast."

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