Hampshire County Council

County Council Item 8

30 March 2006

Hampshire Minerals and Waste Local Development Framework - Core Strategy

Report of the Leader/Cabinet

With the concurrence of the Chairman under Section 100B (4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972, this matter has been included on the agenda to ensure that timely decisions are taken to meet the submission timetable of the first Secretary of State.

1. Introduction

1.1 On 20 March 2006, the Cabinet considered the Hampshire Minerals and Waste Development Framework Core Strategy, which is an overarching planning strategy for minerals and waste development in Hampshire covering the period to 2020. It covers the land-use issues of minerals and waste as well as addressing the social, economic and environmental implications of minerals and waste development and the spatial implications of these. The Core Strategy is part of a suite of documents under the new planning regime which sees Local Plans replaced with Local Development Frameworks. The next stage will see the identification of sites, based on this strategy.

2. The Strategy

2.1 The Strategy has been jointly produced with Portsmouth and Southampton City Councils, and the New Forest National Park Authority (NPA). The New Forest NPA indicated support for the Strategy at its meeting on 17 February and will endorse it for submission after the NPA gains its planning powers on 1 April. Southampton City Council approved the Strategy at its meeting on 15^th March, and Portsmouth City Council will be considering the Strategy, with a view to approving it for submission, at its meeting on 4 April .

2.2 The Strategy is derived from the Material Resources Strategy (MRS) work, one of the key outcomes of which was the `More for Less' publication. Also reflected in the Strategy is the outcomes of the `Issues and Preferred Options' consultation document (an earlier stage of development of the Strategy) which was approved by the Cabinet on 25 July 2005. The Strategy is in line with national and emerging regional minerals and waste strategies, and Hampshire is amongst the leaders in developing this approach and preparing a Core Strategy for Minerals and Waste.

3. Key issues

3.1 The Strategy addresses a number of key issues:-

(a) aims to reduce the demand for primary minerals and support markets for recycled materials by encouraging the principles of sustainable design, construction and demolition for new built development

(b) aims to meet the requirements of the Government's waste policy by -

_ increasing recycling and composting of all wastes to 60% by 2020

_ eliminating the growth in waste production by 2025

_ increasing the beneficial re-use of waste

_ increasing the recovery and treatment of un-recyclable wastes, including the generation of electricity and use of heat from waste processing plants


(c) reducing landfill to the bare minimum needed to dispose of residues, including the application of strict pre-treatment requirements on waste destined for landfill. No provision of landfill capacity will be made for the import of London's waste


(d) in respect of minerals supply -

_ stabilise the consumption of primary aggregates by 2016

_ plan for the supply of land-won sand and gravel at a rate of 2.63 million tonnes a year until 2020, and provide for the supply of 1.7 million tonnes a year of recycled/secondary aggregate during this period

_ distribute the land-won sand and gravel in Hampshire by use of a partial geographic apportionment approach up to 2016, with use of a `strategic reserve' for the latter end of the plan period (2017-2020)

(e) provide development control policies for managing minerals and waste developments.


(f) includes a site selection methodology which details how potential minerals and waste sites will be evaluated and brought forward into two site plans (plans will follow at the next stage of the process)


(g) includes a detailed summary of the consultation process, which resulted in 131 valid responses being received


(h) includes a summary of the Integrated Sustainability Appraisal process, the conclusions of which generally support the main thrust of the Strategy

RECOMMENDATIONS

(i) That Cabinet recommends the County Council approve `the Strategy' Development Plan Document (hereinafter called the Strategy) and the consequential Proposals Map (Local Development Document) as part of the Hampshire Minerals and Waste Local Development Framework:

(a) for submission to the first Secretary of State;

(b) for final public consultation, pursuant to Regulation 28 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Development) (England) Regulations 2004; and

(c) as a basis for future plan-making and development control processes.

(ii) That Cabinet recommends the County Council authorise the Director of Environment, in consultation with the Executive Member for Environment: North Hampshire and Spatial Strategy, to make any minor amendments, provided these do not alter the emphasis and direction of the Strategy or its policies.