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Bedwas’ coal tips are soon to undergo a five-to-ten-year project to make them safer, after a Welsh Government review deemed them a “high-risk”.

Company ERI Reclamation will carry out the work. It has outlined a proposal which will see an initial 60 lorries a day visit the site for up to ten weeks via an existing forest track near Cwmfelinfach.

After this preliminary work, a five-year ‘operation’ period will commence, which will involve 18 to 20 lorries a day travelling back and forth to the site, removing around 500,000 tonnes worth of coal and spoil from the tips.

The project will be paid for by the coal that ERI extracts from the tips, which will be washed on site and transported away.

The Welsh Government has stressed the tips aren’t necessarily ‘unsafe’; but due to the height and make-up of them, there is a risk that run-off water could cause an incident below.

To make the tips safer, as well as levelling the mounds, ERI will be digging up soil from deep within them and relaying it on top, so vegetation can grow and absorb water.

ERI has said assuming no serious amendments are needed during the six-week consultation period, which is currently ongoing, it expects work to begin in September 2024.

When the operation phase has finished, ERI will then be responsible in making sure vegetation grows, and that the soil and general ecosystem returns to normal.

The essential work has largely been welcomed by politicians.

Caerphilly’s Labour Senedd Member, Hefin David, said he had no objection with the private sector carrying out the work, after the cost of remediating just one of the two tips in Bedwas was estimated to cost between £30 million and £40m.

However, at a local level, there have been questions raised by some councillors and residents.

Janine Reed, Independent councillor for the Ynysddu ward, told Caerphilly Observer she has concerns over the noise that could be created: “The track that the lorries will be driving up and down everyday between 6am until 10pm goes straight past a Covid memorial site and a country park.

“I don’t see how these places can remain ‘quiet spaces’ with all of that going on. As well as that, the washery which will wash the coal will also be loud, and residents have brought their concerns to me.”

Representatives from ERI sat down with councillors and residents before Christmas to discuss some of these concerns.

When asked about the potential noise, a spokesperson from ERI said: “An environmental impact report was commissioned by ERI over 18 months ago and its detailed findings are all on our website. This includes the main concern of noise, which we believe will not be as great an issue as some residents believe.”

Another concern raised by Cllr Reed and residents has been an additional stretch of road which is due to be created to connect the forest track with the A467 roundabout, near the Full Moon industrial estate.

Asked what impact that new road could have on the area, ERI said: “The new piece of road will consist of an entry, some 75 metres up from the main roundabout, along the entry lane into Sirhowy Country Park. The new road itself will zig-zag up to join the existing forestry road and be around 500 to 600 metres.

“There have been limited discussions on other routes with the council, but the select route would seem to have the least impact.”

Other environmental factors such as air quality were considered, however ERI believes it will pose no risk to the public.

Steve Williams, director for ERI, added: “As remediation specialists and having successfully transformed a group of coal tips at Six Bells near Aberbeeg to diverse grassland, we have brought forward proposals to remediate and rewild the former Bedwas Colliery, restoring it to a safe and attractive area of rich biodiversity and wildlife for the community to enjoy.”

ERI will be hosting more talks in the coming weeks via walk-ins, the first of which will be in Trethomas on February 19, the second in Bedwas on February 20. Both of these will be between 12pm and 6pm with a venue yet to be determined.

The third walk-in will be held in Cwmfelinfach on February 21 between 12pm and 6pm. A venue is also yet to be determined.

For more information, or to raise any concerns, ERI can be contacted on 07833467341.