Our Goals

The Scottish Mines Restoration Trust has been established to help facilitate the process of communities and other stakeholders in restoring open-cast coal sites across Scotland to bring together viable restoration plans for them.

Through engagement with community groups, landowners, the public and private sectors, voluntary bodies and Government, we aim to bring a fresh and constructive approach to restoring the sites of old opencast sites, bringing them back into community use.

Criteria

Funding is available from the Scottish Mines Restoration Trust in connection with facilitating the reinstatement of abandoned open cast coal mining sites.

The Trust wishes to work with applicants which can show how with community involvement or backing they can take ownership of a challenge and deliver a positive outcome for all. This will require an innovative or creative approach to using the resources already in place for each site and it is in the marshalling of that approach that the Trust can offer help.

When applying for funding from the Scottish Mines Restoration Trust in connection with an abandoned open cast coal mining site, an applicant must demonstrate that it has the support of the community affected by the site.

The Scottish Mines Restoration Trust welcomes applications for funding from any party who can demonstrate that they have worked with all stakeholders involved in a specific site, especially the community.

Where specific parties or individuals do not have experience in preparing and submitting applications for funding, SMRT can also advise and provide information on the process including appropriate stakeholder communication.

The Scottish Mines Restoration Trust will not get involved in the restoration or further restoration of open cast coal mining sites which have already been restored.