www.wiltshire.gov.uk
Minerals Policy
Wiltshire County Council and Swindon Borough Council are the responsible authorities (Mineral Planning Authorities - MPA's) for all aspects of land use planning relating to mineral working in Wiltshire and Swindon. This includes the formulation of policies, determining planning applications and the enforcement of planning control.
Matters relating to minerals policy and the control of minerals development are principally governed by the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, the Town and Country Planning Act 1991, the Environment Act 1995 and the new Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.
With respect to policy matters, Wiltshire County Council and Swindon Borough Council benefit from having an Adopted Minerals Local Plan. The Plan sets out a detailed framework of policies and proposals for minerals development up to 2006.
Four main issues are addressed in the Plan:
- How much aggregate mineral extraction should there be up to 2006?
- Where should this extraction take place?
- What measures are in place to ensure that mineral development is carried out in the least environmentally damaging manner?
- What measures are in place to ensure that mineral working sites are restored to a satisfactory condition, capable of sustaining a beneficial after-use?
Changing Policy Frameworks - Minerals Local Plan Review
The planning system as we knew it has changed. September 2004 saw the commencement of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act and the introduction of a completely new approach to plan making.
Summary of the main plan making changes
- Regional Planning Guidance will be replaced with statutory Regional Spatial Strategies (RSS);
- Structure Plans have been abolished;
- Local and Unitary Development Plans will be replaced by a series of new Local Development Documents (LDD) that will form the Local Development Framework (LDF) for an area;
- Supplementary Planning Guidance will be replaced by Supplementary Planning Documents; and
- All documents that form part of the Development Plan for an area will require thorough Sustainability Appraisal (incorporating the provisions of the Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive).
How is Wiltshire responding to the new planning arrangements?
Wiltshire County Council and our strategic planning partners, Swindon Borough Council are in the early stages of reviewing the Adopted Minerals Local Plan. This process will lead to the production of a series of Minerals Local Development Documents that will form part of the County and Borough’s Minerals and Waste Development Framework (M&WDF).
At this stage we are looking to produce the following minerals local development documents:
- Minerals Core Strategy;
- An Aggregate Minerals Site Specific Allocation document; and
- A Proposals Map
These documents will have what’s referred to as Development Plan Status and as such will be Development Plan Documents (DPD).
Development Plan Documents, together with the Regional Spatial Strategy will form part of the statutory development plan for Wiltshire and Swindon.
How will the process of plan making under the new planning system be managed?
The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 requires planning authorities to produce a project plan governing when plans will be produced. This document is called the Wiltshire Minerals and Waste Development Scheme.
Minerals In Wiltshire
Last year Wiltshire and Swindon produced over 1.3 million tonnes of aggregate for use in the construction industry.
Minerals are an important national resource and play an important part in everyone's daily life. The construction and energy industries are dependent upon the raw materials provided by minerals, and virtually everything we use is either made of minerals, requires minerals in its manufacturing process, or depends on it for its operation. Their exploitation therefore makes an essential contribution to the nation's prosperity and quality of life.
Geological circumstances dictate that minerals can only be worked where they exist. Unlike most other forms of development, the range of alternative locations available for mineral working is extremely limited and conflicts of interest may occur. No easy solution exists for reconciling these conflicts, but a balance has to be found between society's need for minerals, the protection of the natural environment and amenity of local people.
Wiltshire produces a range of minerals including sand and gravel for the construction industry, chalk and clay for cement manufacturing and natural building stone.
Production of Sand and Gravel:1993 – 2003 (Million Tonnes)
|
1993 |
1994 |
1995 |
1996 |
1997 |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
|
0.81 |
0.83 |
0.90 |
1.0 |
1.34 |
0.96 |
1.14 |
1.33 |
1.39 |
1.34 |
1.56 |
For further information, please contact us.
Contact Details
By Post
Local Plans and Development Control
Wiltshire County Council
County Hall
Bythesea Road
Trowbridge
Wiltshire
BA14 8JD
By Email
mineralsandwastepolicy@wiltshire.gov.uk
By Telephone
01225 713213
By Fax
01225 713437
By Hand
County Hall, Trowbridge
Opening Hours
Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm
