Archived decisions

Contact: Debbie Vaughan, ext 7330, e-mail: [email protected]

Adrian Flavell, ext 6730, e-mail: [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 The Hampshire Minerals Plan is an important component of the Hampshire Minerals and Waste Development Framework. It develops proposals to supply the minerals, landfill and aggregates recycling sites that Hampshire needs over the plan period to 2020, to maintain existing buildings and infrastructure, support new housing development and deliver other key infrastructure requirements necessary to maintain the County's prosperity. It supports the Sustainable Community Strategy and Corporate Business Plan outcome 1.7.

1.2 The County Council, together with Portsmouth and Southampton City Councils and the New Forest National Park Authority ("the authorities") have a responsibility to plan for minerals and waste developments in the Hampshire area and agreed in 2005 to work together to produce a joint development framework for Minerals and Waste. The Core Strategy of this framework was formally adopted by the Authorities in September 2007, which in the main superceded the previous local plan, the Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton Minerals and Waste Local Plan (Adopted 1998). A draft Plan had been approved by Council in November 2007 for consultation and over 5000 submissions had been made

1.3 The Cabinet considered a report and the draft Hampshire Minerals Plan at its meeting on 23 June 2008. A copy of the Minerals Plan and the Cabinet report, including a map showing proposed sites and those rejected since the November 2007 draft Plan (A3 colour plan) is attached. A considerable amount of background information, including site information considered by the Cabinet, is available in the Members' Rooms and is on the website at: http://www3.hants.gov.uk/planning/mineralsandwaste/planning-policy/documents-2/minerals-plan.htm

A copy of the Site Summaries, as considered by the Cabinet, can be obtained on request from the Chief Executive's Democratic Services.

1.4 Seven deputations were made to the Cabinet on 23 June and a considerable number of letters and e-mails had been received on the matter at the time of the meeting. At the invitation of the Chairman, Councillors K.G. Chapman, K. House and B.D. Dash spoke about the Mortimer West End site, the Hamble Airfield site and the Forest Lodge Farm site respectively. The report has also been considered by the Environment and Transportation Select Committee and in reaching their decision, the Cabinet took into account the issues raised by the Select Committee.

1.5 In considering the report, the Cabinet were mindful that the Authorities
have a duty to prepare, consider and submit a Minerals Plan to the

Secretary of State and that targets for sand and gravel to be supplied in Hampshire are contained in the South East Plan. The Cabinet agreed that the Plan should only provide for an annual supply of 1.82 million tonnes, some 0.8 mtpa below the target set by SEERA. This was considered appropriate given the trend of falling production and the unacceptable level of impacts if provision exceeded 2 mtpa. In agreeing this figure, Cabinet were aware that SEERA was consulting on options for a revised apportionment and the option reflecting environmental constraints at 1.82mtpa was the most favourable for Hampshire. They welcomed the confirmation by the Director of Environment that the statutory requirements regarding the process had been met, and that robust and thorough work had been carried out by expert consultants to inform the selection of sites. They also welcomed the assurance that strict controls would be put in place via the planning application process to protect residents nearby. The many views expressed at the stakeholder, Member and other meetings had been very helpful and all had been taken into account in the development of the Plan. The Cabinet were mindful that the Plan will be subject to a Public Inquiry into its soundness and that the Inspector's report would be binding on the Council.

1.6 The Chairman requested that the present usage of minerals, which points to a target below 1.82 mtpa, be researched and the results communicated to the Cabinet.

1.7 Having taken all views expressed into account, the Cabinet make the following recommendations to the County Council:

2. RECOMMENDATIONS

That the Hampshire Minerals Plan:

(a) shall provide for 1.82 million tonnes per annum of sand and gravel;

(b) be approved for publication, consultation on its soundness and
subsequent submission to the Secretary of State in accordance with Regulations 27-30 of The Town and Country Planning (Local Development) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2008;

(c) be approved by the County Council as an interim framework for the operation of planning control until this Plan is superseded;

and further that

(d) the Director of Environment, in consultation with the Executive Member for Environment, be authorised to finalise the Hampshire Minerals Plan prior to submission and supporting documents, provided that these do not change the overall direction, shape and emphasis of the document, and do not raise any new issues.