Hampshire Minerals and Waste Plan moves a step closer to completion

Tuesday, 04 September 2012

Hampshire's Minerals and Waste Plan could soon be taking another step towards adoption by the five minerals and waste planning authorities in the county.

Following scrutiny of the draft Plan by an independent planning inspector and the public examination hearings held in Winchester in June, County Councillors will be asked next month to consider the recommendations for changes to the draft Plan to ensure it is 'sound' - which means positively prepared, justified, effective and consistent with national policy.

Potential changes to be made

The outcome of the public hearings and the potential changes to be made will be reported to the County Council's Cabinet at an Extraordinary Meeting on 10 September 2012. County Councillors will then have the opportunity to consider the issues at the Full Council meeting on 20 September. Subject to the agreement by the County Council and the four other minerals and waste planning authorities in Hampshire, the schedule of changes on the Plan's soundness will be published for public comment in October.

Plan plays a major role in Hampshire's future

Councillor Mel Kendal, Executive Member for Environment and Transport at Hampshire County Council, commented:

"Now that we have had the first stage of public examination, we are moving the plan closer to adoption. In our view the process has gone well, thanks to the work of the planning inspector and the people he invited to take part in the public hearings in June.

"With a document of this scale and the fundamental role it will play in Hampshire over the next 20 years, we did expect some changes to the draft Plan. The Inspector has been helpful in directing us to the parts he considered needed review and we have done this, as well as making other changes to ensure the Plan is sound. It is important to note the vast majority of changes are very minor, including typographical errors. Some however, are more significant and in general are related to the need to be in line with new national policy - the National Planning Policy Framework.

Changes published for comment

"Every change will be detailed in a schedule that we will publish for public comment. Any main changes will be clearly highlighted, with responses to the schedule collated and a report prepared for the independent planning inspector's consideration. This process and its associated timings are governed by the planning inspector and we have to comply with it."

The draft Hampshire Minerals and Waste Plan has been prepared to help shape the county's future by protecting its environment, maintaining its communities and ensuring that Hampshire's economy is supported. It has been prepared, jointly, by Hampshire's minerals and waste planning authorities, who have a statutory duty to prepare plans for minerals and waste development. The draft Plan considers the effects of minerals and waste on surrounding areas too, and Hampshire officers have been in communication with the relevant councils.

Hampshire's draft Plan has been prepared using technical evidence and the results of public consultations carried out over a number of years. The draft Plan, if adopted, will form the framework for assessing any future planning applications until 2030. Any land identified in the draft Plan would be released only if planning applications satisfy the stringent environmental and other tests set out by the adopted Minerals and Waste Plan. This includes measures to manage and mitigate the impact of development on the local communities and surrounding environment, not only in Hampshire but on neighbouring areas.

See council decision making in action. Watch the Extraordinary Cabinet Meeting as it takes place and tune into the discussion on 10 September at Watch Cabinet live

• Read a copy of the Report to Cabinet

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