{"longTitle":"A Bill to require planning authorities to impose a minimum distance between opencast mining developments and residential properties; and for connected purposes.","summary":"<p>The Bill would require the Secretary of State to publish guidance on opencast mining policy in England. The guidance must include a specific policy requiring a 500-metre separation zone to be maintained between opencast mining sites and the nearest residential premises, unless the circumstances are exceptional.</p><p>It would require that mineral planning authorities in England must have regard to any such guidance issued when fulfilling their functions.</p><p>The Bill would bring the guidance on opencast mining in England more closely into line with the guidance that applies in Scotland and Wales.</p>","sponsors":[{"member":{"memberId":4133,"name":"Andrew Bridgen","party":"Conservative","partyColour":"0063ba","house":"Commons","memberPhoto":"https://members-api.parliament.uk/api/Members/4133/Thumbnail","memberPage":"https://members.parliament.uk/member/4133/contact","memberFrom":"North West Leicestershire"},"organisation":null,"sortOrder":1}],"promoters":[],"petitioningPeriod":null,"petitionInformation":null,"agent":null,"billId":691,"shortTitle":"Planning (Opencast Mining Separation Zones) Bill","formerShortTitle":null,"currentHouse":"Commons","originatingHouse":"Commons","lastUpdate":"2012-05-01T15:52:39","billWithdrawn":null,"isDefeated":false,"billTypeId":7,"introducedSessionId":24,"includedSessionIds":[24],"isAct":false,"currentStage":{"id":3533,"stageId":7,"sessionId":24,"description":"2nd reading","abbreviation":"2R","house":"Commons","stageSittings":[{"id":3323,"stageId":7,"billStageId":3533,"billId":691,"date":"2011-02-11T00:00:00"}],"sortOrder":2}}