Disused Mine and Quarry Tips (Wales) Act 2025
The Disused Mine and Quarry Tips (Wales) Act 2025 (“the 2025 Act”) aims to reduce the likelihood of landslides on disused coal and non-coal tips through the establishment of a new public body which will have functions in relation to the assessment, registration, monitoring and management of disused tips.
In summary, the 2025 Act:
- establishes the Disused Tips Authority for Wales (“the Authority”) as a body corporate. It must exercise its functions under the Act with a view to ensuring that disused tips do not threaten human welfare by reason of their instability,
- makes provision for the assessment, registration and monitoring of disused tips,
- places inspection requirements on the Authority in respect of category 1 and 2 disused tips,
- contains provisions that enable the Authority to deal with tip instability and threats to tip instability. This includes powers to require an owner of land to carry out operations and for the Authority to carry out operations itself, and related provisions in respect of payments in connection with such operations,
- requires the Authority to establish and maintain a website,
- contains supplementary provisions including powers of entry for the Authority, information sharing provisions and powers to require information, and
- creates related offences to support the enforcement of the regime.
The Explanatory Notes to the 2025 Act provide detailed commentary on the various provisions.
Coming into force
Section 92(1) provides that Part 5 of the 2025 Act comes into force the day after the Act receives Royal Assent. This means the provisions in Part 5 came into force on 12 September 2025.
Section 92(2) provides that sections 1, 2 and 5 and Schedule 1 will come into force on 1 April 2027.
In accordance with section 92(3), all other provisions in the 2025 Act will come into force on a day appointed by the Welsh Ministers in an order made by Welsh statutory instrument.
Subordinate legislation made under the Act
[To be added when made]
Consideration of the legislation by the Senedd
The Bill was introduced to the Senedd on 9 December 2024 by Huw Irranca-Davies MS, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs. It was passed by the Senedd on 15 July 2025 and received Royal Assent on 11 September 2025.
More information about the 2025 Act is provided on the Senedd website including a record of the Bill’s passage through the Senedd.
An Explanatory Memorandum was originally prepared for consideration by the Senedd alongside the Bill. This has now been revised and updated to reflect the final form of the 2025 Act.