Plan

The PLAN phase focuses on achieving a holistic understanding of the site’s requisite land access, its timing, the magnitude and type of displacement impacts, and associated DMPs necessary to address the impacts. The PLAN tasks prepare sites to achieve long-term good practice outcomes and enables timely action to secure land, thereby minimising land access-related risks and impacts. The tasks do not require engagement with external stakeholders about the potential displacement and subsequent resettlement. In fact, it is discouraged at this stage to avoid generating fears or expectations amongst the communities who may be affected.

Task 1 – Develop land access and displacement strategy

The purpose of Task 1 is to identify the site’s planned land access needs and associated displacement impacts over time, and gain a consolidated view of past, current and potential future resettlement projects as relevant to the site. It aims to:

• Identify potential future resettlement projects based on requisite land access and potential risks and impacts associated with the site (indirect displacement);
• Determine the nature and estimate the magnitude of displacement impacts associated with potential future resettlement projects;
• Highlight risks associated with land access needs and potential future resettlement projects;
• Outline a schedule for when land access is required, or when the impact necessitating resettlement will begin to occur; and
• Provide high-level timing for the initiation of detailed studies as per the IDM resettlement phases.

The development of a land access and displacement strategy for a site is heavily reliant on spatial data. Much of this data may be acquired from baseline information collected for the internal and external context reviews as part of Social Performance Review and Planning (see Section 2A) and SHIRA (see Section 3C). It may be necessary to collect additional information from primary and secondary sources. Using an appropriate GIS platform, the following data must be spatially presented for the site’s Area of Influence (see Section 2A Guidance, Task 3):

• Site-level data:
  • site layout, including infrastructure, mining areas and access roads;
  • current and anticipated future exploration and expansion areas as per the Life of Asset Plan (LoAP) and Resource Development Plan (RDP);
  • buffer zones for mitigating potential impacts (informed by the Social Management Plan (SMP)) and for relevant infrastructure such as TSFs and WRDs;
  • original location of communities that were resettled previously;
  • areas where replacement housing and land was provided as part of previous resettlement projects (relocation sites);
  • communities currently engaged in a resettlement process and their relocation site(s) when it is agreed; and
  • areas benefitting from social or economic development projects implemented by the site or another party.
• Community-level data:
  • local communities and areas used for seasonal or permanent residential purposes;
  • land known or suspected to be used by the local communities for any purpose, including residential, business, livelihoods and cultural or religious practices;
  • cultural heritage resources, including graves and cemeteries (see Section 4H.2 Guidance);
  • administrative and judicial boundaries, both formal and traditional;
  • available data indicating likely future expansion of settlements and/or population influx (such as applications for township establishment, planned roads, etc.); and
  • access routes and service infrastructure such as schools and healthcare facilities.
• Cadastral information for each land parcel on which site or community-level data is shown:
  • ownership, size, extent, third party valuation and existing permits or licenses (held either by Anglo American or another party);
  • land claims or other legal disputes; and
  • legal/formal land use and land user information.

Based on this information, particularly the site-level data relating to the LoAP, RDP and buffer zones, potential future resettlement projects must be identified, roughly delineated on the GIS platform and categorised according to its IDM phase. When identifying potential future resettlement projects, the following should also be considered:

• The impact of one or more resettlement projects on communities in proximity to but not directly displaced by requisite land access. Such impacts, including the disruption of social networks and social isolation, decreased sustained viability of the local economy and reduced access to services, may cause indirect displacement.
• The likelihood of economic displacement when there are no visible residential or other structures on the land to be accessed.

The following information must then be determined for each resettlement project:

• Nature of the displacement impact, that is temporary or permanent, and physical or economic or both, and the associated DMP required (LAP, RAP or LRP);
• Whether the resettlement project would trigger a grave relocation and require a GRP, and whether other cultural heritage resources may be displaced, requiring specific management measures;
• Estimated magnitude of the displacement impact (hectares of land, number of land users or owners, number of households, number of graves or other cultural heritage resources, etc.);
• Design alternatives considered as part of the RDP, LoAP or mine planning to avoid displacement or minimise its magnitude; and
• Risks to the successful planning and implementation of the resettlement project. Possible examples of such risks include existing land claims, known or suspected community opposition to resettlement, and political instability or interference.

Potential future resettlements must be presented in a schedule indicating both when land access may be required or when the impact necessitating displacement may begin to occur, and when the project should progress from pre-concept into Phase 1 of the IDM process (ideally five to eight years in advance) if displacement impacts cannot be avoided.

The strategy document and GIS data are for internal planning purposes only, and must be reviewed and updated at least on an annual basis, or as new information regarding land access needs becomes available. Table 4F. 4 (see 4F.4 Tools and guidance notes) provides a template for the land access and displacement strategy.

It should be noted that the land access and displacement strategy will contain only high-level estimates of displacement impacts and geographical areas associated with each resettlement project. Refined estimates suitable for detailed planning are developed during resettlement scoping (see 4F.2 Guidance, Task 4) and are undertaken on a project-by-project basis rather than for the site as a whole.