THE ISSUE of the plans for a reclamation of coal tips in Bedwas were the subject of intense scrutiny in a Plaid Cymru-led debate earlier this week in the Senedd. 

The plans to rewild the Bedwas tips in Cwmfelinfach have been the source of much dismay, anger and frustration among the residents who live in the nearby Sirhowy Valley. 

There are coal tips all over South Wales, and reclamation company ERI have put forward plans to make them safe and avoid risks of instability,  tip fires and water contamination. 

The Welsh Government have dubbed making them safe "a priority" to ultimately avoid a repeat of the Aberfan disaster from 1966. 

ERI Reclamation has put together proposals to return the former coal tips at Mynydd Y Grug in Bedwas to moorland and grassland, and held consultation events into the plan in February. 

Peredur Owen Griffiths, member of the Senedd for South Wales East spoke twice on the issue in one day of plenary last week. 

There are a total of 175 category C and D tips in the South Wales East constituency alone. 

During questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Housing, Local Government and Planning, Peredur said: “Coal tip safety is a massive issue in my region due to the heavy industrial heritage. It’s regrettable that the Westminster Government, both under Tory and Labour control, never made these areas safe for our communities when they had the chance.

“There is a proposal to extract coal from some of the tips at the former Bedwas colliery and to remediate them in the process.

“However, the category D tip that is closest to people’s homes—literally just outside the back garden of a long row of homes—is not being touched. This tip is apparently in private ownership.”

He added: “Cabinet Secretary, do you agree with me that land ownership should not be the primary concern when it comes to guaranteeing the safety of the people we represent?

“How is the Government working to overcome legal barriers for the sake of our former coal mining communities, and how is the Government assuring itself that any remedial work carried out in our communities is driven by safety and not profit?”

The proposals would allegedly see the category D tips, currently rated as highest risk, reduced down to category A at lowest risk. 

People in the area have expressed a series of concerns over the plans, such as increased noise, dust and disruption caused by the company's lorries. 

They have also showed concern for the environmental impact of moving waste onto the upper tip and across the common moorland, something Peredur also questioned. 

He urged authorities to scrutinise the plans carefully for the sake of local communities.

He said: “Justice for communities in Wales demands robust scrutiny and detailed questioning to ensure the remediation and repurposing of disused coal tips and other post-industrial sites is done in the safest way possible.

“We must remain vigilant against any attempts to revive the coal mining industry by stealth.

“As representatives, we need to prioritise the long-term well-being of the people we represent, the safety of our communities and the sustainability of our environment.

“We need to ensure that we listen to the voices of the affected communities and make sure their interests safeguarded.

“Only by doing our jobs properly and scrutinising these projects properly can be truly honour our commitment to the well-being of present and future generations in Wales."