Public consultations have been staged throughout the Hunter Valley including Singleton where 450 people joined on Wednesday to voice their concern about the government’s scoping paper.

On exhibition until April 15 the paper is a synopsis of the strategy and is available on the Department of Planning’s website.

“Community and stakeholder input will help us identify the local issues in regards to coal and gas mining, and is a key step which will guide the preparation of a more holistic NSW strategy,” minister for Planning, Tony Kelly said.

He said preliminary assessments indicate most activity in the coal and coal seam gas industries over the next 25 years would occur in the north of the state.

“The coal industry will play a significant role in the Hunter Valley, the northern part of the Western Basin and the Gunnedah Basin in the coming years.

Submissions are being accepted through the Department of Planning website: www.planning.nsw.gov.au.