With national policy for a low-carbon future in mind, in January 2021 it was agreed corporately that although we will continue to provide the GIS surface coal data to authorities, all decision making regarding the safeguarding of surface coal will lie with the responsible authority. We will therefore no longer be requiring those authorities with responsibilities for minerals to specifically include surface coal resource within Mineral Safeguarding Areas.

The Coal Authority supports the inclusion of this policy, specifically criteria 6 and 7 (Land Quality) which seeks to ensure that development proposals need to take account of the potential risks posed by unstable land.