Clearing Caerphilly's Coal Tips: A Safer Future for Bedwas and the Sirhowy Valley
The landscape of Caerphilly and the wider Sirhowy Valley is shaped by our industrial past—none more visibly than through the many coal tips that still dot the hills above our communities. The question now is not how we remove the legacy of coal, but when and how we do so safely, responsibly, and in a way that secures a better future for our valleys.
Recently, Independent councillors representing Ynysddu published a blog raising concerns over a proposed scheme by ERI Reclamation Ltd to recover coal from the Bedwas Colliery spoil tips. Their opposition is rooted in fears over disruption, environmental impact, and the principle of extracting coal at all. These concerns deserve to be heard—but they also need to be balanced against the long-term safety of our communities and the real financial constraints facing public authorities.
As Conservatives, we start from a principle of pragmatic stewardship. That means making evidence-based decisions that protect lives, preserve natural beauty, and use public resources wisely. On all three counts, a properly regulated scheme to remove spoil from the Bedwas tip could offer the right solution.
Safety First
Let us be clear: the existence of coal tips above residential areas is a long-term risk. We remember all too painfully the tragedy of Aberfan. While inspections help reduce the danger, they cannot eliminate it—especially as Wales faces increasingly extreme weather events due to climate change. Heavy rainfall, ground movement, or even spontaneous combustion can all turn a disused coal tip into a threat overnight.
The only permanent solution is to remove the spoil entirely.
ERI’s plan—though imperfect and still needing detailed scrutiny—at least tackles the root problem. We cannot afford to pretend that doing nothing is safer. It isn’t.
Nature Will Return
Some opponents of the scheme rightly cherish the landscape around Mynydd y Grug. It’s a beautiful place, and a haven for local wildlife. But we should not romanticise coal tips. They are not natural features. They are industrial waste heaps, placed on our hills by an earlier generation because they had nowhere else to put them.
Nature has made some headway in reclaiming these sites—but true restoration can only happen once the waste is removed. Reprofiling the landscape and managing its return to native woodland or pasture is only feasible if the unstable material underneath is taken away.
Let us not forget that this is not open-cast mining. No coal seams are being dug. The scheme involves processing existing spoil—the by-product of past mining—and removing the coal embedded within it. That is very different from starting new fossil fuel extraction.
A Sensible, Market-Driven Approach
ERI’s scheme also highlights a key Conservative insight: private enterprise can play a role in solving public problems.
The estimated cost of fully remediating Wales’ coal tips runs into the tens of millions. It would be irresponsible to suggest this should all fall on the taxpayer—especially during a cost-of-living crisis. If companies can safely extract value from this waste material and use the revenue to fund restoration, it should be welcomed—so long as there are firm environmental and legal safeguards in place.
That is not a carte blanche. Lorry movements, dust, and disruption must be tightly regulated. Local residents deserve strong protections and clear information throughout the process. If the current ERI proposal falls short of these expectations, it must be improved.
But to oppose any removal on principle—regardless of method, regardless of conditions—is to risk leaving our communities with unsafe, decaying industrial waste for another generation.
Supporting Innovation, Not Stagnation
Wales has a proud tradition of industrial innovation. I believe we should apply that same spirit to cleaning up the past. With the right checks, the use of private capital to address legacy pollution is not only acceptable—it is necessary.
We urge ERI, Caerphilly County Borough Council, and the Welsh Government to work together transparently and with full regard for residents' concerns. But we also urge local representatives to keep an open mind about the scale of the challenge and the tools available to solve it.
Our message is simple: coal tips are a problem that must be solved, not ignored. With pragmatism, partnership, and community engagement, we can restore our hills, protect our people, and honour both our past and our future.
Byron Williams
Caerphilly Conservative Association
