Here Andrew explains why he is to introduce his 500 Metre Buffer Zone Bill.

This Briefing Note explains the origin of the 500 Metre Buffer Zone around Opencast / Surface Mines in the United Kingdom, firstly in Scotland and then in Wales. It then chronicles attempts made, so far unsuccessfully, to have a similar policy introduced in England.

A 2nd edition of this Briefing Note was poblishd in January 2011

This Briefing Note outlines arguments that can be deployed to support the introduction of 500 metre buffer zones between opencast mine sites and houses. This is very much a ‘work in progress’ document which will be added too as the arguments are developed further.

A 2nd edition was published in January 2011

This Briefing Note (B3) is Part One of a review into the extent of Opencast Mining in England. This covers Current Sites known about for 2009 - 2010 and provides information on the 32 sites which are either derelict, being worked, where planning was not approved, where a planning application has been made or where the Public Exhibitions in advance of a formal application has been made. It has been written to provide evidence for the need for a 500 Metre Buffer Zone.

This contains a further list of potential English Opencast sites, which has been gathered from a variety of sources. These sites are listed alphabetically for each local authority area in which they are located, In addition there is information for Nottinghamshire and Greater Manchester. The Coal Constraint Areas of Nottinghamshire have been identified along with Areas of Search for opencast coal for Greater Manchester.

If you want to know how much of the available opencastable coal will have to stay in the ground if the Bill is past read on. This estimate forms part of the process of explaining how much Carbon Dioxide will be prevented from escaping into the atmosphere if we prevent this coal from being burnt.

On Friday 4th February 2010 the Draft of the 500m Buffer Zone Bill was published along with an Explanatory Note. This note explains the content of the Bill and the intention of the Bill. It also provides links to a web site that will enable you to keep in touch with the Bill’s progress and another site which explains how a Bill becomes an Act.

These are the titles of Press Releases MOPG have produced in support of Andrew Bridgen's 500m Buffer Zone Bill.
PR 64 'Proposed Law would make Minorca type applications history' (29/6/10)
PR 65 'Private Members Bill to set light to a smouldering controversy' (29/6/10)
PR 89 'The Minorca Application is just the tip of an iceberg' (6/1/11)
PR 89 'Saving local communities from the risk of future opencast mining' (6/1/11)

PR 90 'The 500m Buffer Zone Bill is needed to 'Right a Wrong' in British Planning Law' (10/1/11)

PR 92 '553 Million Climate Change Reasons for Supporting the 500m Buffer Zone Bill' (17/1/11)

PR 93) How close are you to a potential Opencast Mine site? (17/1/11)

PR 97 "The 500m Buffer Zone Bill brings hope to Anti-Opencast Mine Campaigners across England. (7/2/11).

This page lets you keep track of where especially newspapers have carried news stories about Andrew Bridgen's 500m Buffer Zone Bill.

This page now contains links to both a video and a transcript of the debate on the 2nd Reading on the 11/2/11. (Updated 13/3/11).

This note explains how you can help to turn the 500m Buffer Zone Bill issue into a national campaign.

This page contains information on developments affecting other current and potential opencast sites in England since 5/1/11. As Northern Ireland does not have a 500m buffer zone policy either news stories from the Province on opencast mining issues are included.

(Updated on 7/6/11)