The Development High Risk Area is the part of the coal mining reporting area which contains one or more recorded coal mining related features which have the potential for instability or a degree of risk to the surface from the legacy of coal mining operations. The combination of features included in this composite area includes mine entries; shallow coal workings (recorded and probable); recorded coal mining related hazards; recorded mine gas sites; fissures and breaklines and previous surface mining sites. New development in this defined area needs to demonstrate that the development will be safe and stable taking full account of former coal mining activities. This area was formally known as the Development Referral Area.
The development high risk areas have been defined to enable developers and planners to understand and consider the potential for instability or degree of risk from the legacy of coal mining operations. This information is also provided to asset managers for the management of the land assets of public bodies and major landowners.