Over the last Senedd's term, I have supported the residents of Glyncoch in their campaign to protect the health and well-being of the community by working towards closing the Craig yr Hesg Quarry quarry. In 2022 the Welsh Government approved the expansion of the quarry and over-ruled Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council (RCTCBC) decision to reject the expansion on appeal to PEDW.
There are many negative consequences that cause concerns including health and well-being , damage to homes, the heavy traffic through Pontypridd to Glyncoch and the loss of much loved green spaces that is being destroyed and closed off from the community.
The continued blasting for the blue Pennant sandstone generates crystalline silica and heavy and prolonged exposure can cause serious respiratory disease, including cases of COPD. Samples gathered by the community from several locations have contained crystalline silica and the challenge for the community has been to categorically evidence that this has been caused by the mining
This is part of a broader campaign about protecting future communities of Wales from the effects of quarrying, and ensuring that the planning guidance for this type of quarrying is fit for purpose and aligned with Welsh Government priorities, statutory requirements, and contemporary environmental and social expectations. When expansion works commenced in 2024, local residents have been united in protest, raising concerns that although planning guidance sets a minimum buffer of 200 metres between quarries and homes, the proposed expansion would reduce that distance to just 109 metres from the nearest property.
I am determined to continue to support this campaign, including supporting the community to gather new data on the impact and there are several aspects where we can make a difference and move things forward:
Reporting Issues or Complaining
To ensure that the mining company, Heidelberg are operating with in their legal obligations under the planning system it is essential that the true impact on residents is recorded accurately. To do this we have asked local residents to report every incident and to inform myself and other elected representatives so that we can support you collectively. To report noise, odour, dust or light pollution from Craig yr Hesg Quarry, please see details on our How to Complain page
Health & Wellbeing Survey
To help me understand how living close to the quarry affects people and what impact it has on day to day lives, I have created a survey to help inform a report that will be shared with the Welsh Government as evidence to help inform the campaign and the effects of blasting and quartz dust. Any information you share will be held by my office and will form the basis of an anonymised community report. I will share details of how many people responded but no names or identifying information will be shared in the final report.
The final report will be published and made available on my website and can be read by anyone who wishes to understand the experiences of people in Glyncoch.
You can access the survey to describe your situation and give your views here.
Updating Planning Guidance (MTAN )
I have also supported a petition to ensure a mandatory buffer zone for all new and existing quarries in Wales. You can view the petition and details of discussion on the Senedd's Petition's Committee site here.
In its response to the committee’s consideration of the petition, the Welsh Government has repeatedly maintained that the principles set out in the planning guidance MTAN1 for aggregates remain valid and that it continues to offer comprehensive planning framework that's robust for managing the effects of quarrying despite being over 20 years old. This is not a position that the campaigners agree with and I have called for an urgent review of the MTAN 1 guidance.
However, the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, conceded at the time that they would be happy to consider new evidence relating to blasting, air quality limits or dust for instance but have stressed that the "need for any new information or data to be of a robust nature and to have sought scientific consensus"
The Planning Community
There are widespread views that the planning guidance on MTAN 1 (Aggregates) is no longer fit for purpose and urgently requires a full overhaul, including the School of Geography and Planning, Cardiff University who have provided a briefing to the Welsh Government emphasising the following:
- Published in 2004, it predates Wales’s modern legislative framework on well‑being, climate change, biodiversity, air quality and community participation, creating growing legal, environmental and policy risks.
- Continued reliance on outdated buffer distances, weak health and biodiversity protections, and minimal community engagement is increasingly misaligned with statutory duties and public expectations.
- The guidance fails to integrate net‑zero, circular‑economy or nature‑recovery objectives, leaving local planning authorities exposed to inconsistency, appeals and compliance challenges.
- A comprehensive revision is needed to align minerals policy with current law, scientific evidence and Welsh Government priorities, providing clearer, safer and more defensible decision‑making for communities, planners and industry alike.
Showing 1 reaction