Preparation of the Minerals Local Plan: background documents, assessments and appraisals

Preparation of the Minerals Local Plan: background documents, assessments and appraisals

Introduction to the background documents, assessments and appraisals

The preparation of the Minerals Local Plan (MLP) was supported by a set of background documents which set out evidence and contextual information for the development of the plan. The MLP was also subject to a range of statutory assessments and appraisals. Some of the background documents that informed the MLP are also being used to inform the emerging Mineral Site Allocations Development Plan Document (DPD).

Minerals resources

Minerals naturally occur through variations in geology which means that minerals are not evenly distributed. In Worcestershire we have sand and gravel, crushed rock, brick clay, silica sand, coal and salt resources.

We have developed an interactive minerals mapping tool. This gives indicative boundaries of the current and past minerals sites with express or deemed planning permission alongside coal hazard data produced by the Coal Authority, and mineral resource data derived from British Geological Survey digital data (under Licence 2001/125) which has been analysed in our background document.

We have also prepared background documents setting out the context and relevant planning issues for each of the types of minerals found in Worcestershire:

You may also be interested in the latest Local Aggregate Assessment. This is an assessment of the demand for and supply of aggregates in the county which is produced annually. This can be found on the Authority Monitoring Report page.

Key considerations

The approach to the location of development and site allocations evolved in response to comments received on the Third Stage Consultation on the Minerals Local Plan, and a new screening and site selection methodology was developed. This document sets out the methodology used to develop the Publication Version Consultation on the Minerals Local Plan as well as the proposed methodology for the emerging Mineral Site Allocations Development Plan Document:

An understanding of local context has been an integral part of developing the Minerals Local Plan. The following background documents address key issues:

A Health Impact Assessment (July 2018) was undertaken to assess the potential positive and negative impacts of the Third Stage Consultation version of the Minerals Local Plan (MLP) on the local population of Worcestershire and its surroundings, and to identify how the MLP should address these impacts. These findings informed the development of the Fourth Stage Consultation. Further Health Impact Assessment Statements (November 2018 and May 2019) summarise how the Fourth Stage Consultation and Publication Version of the Minerals Local Plan, respectively, address the recommendations, highlight any policy changes which could affect the conclusions of the HIA, and demonstrate the approach to addressing health and wellbeing considerations in the respective consultation documents. Following submission to the plan to the Secretary of State for examination, any further iterations of the Health Impact Assessment for the Minerals Local Plan will be made available on the Programme Officer’s examination website.

Statutory assessments

The Council is required to undertake the following assessments and appraisals of the Minerals Local Plan. These documents have been updated and consulted on at each stage in the development of the Plan (to access the associated consultation documents, see “consultation stages” and “examination in public”).

Equality Impact Assessment

An Equality Impact Assessment Desktop Screening was prepared and consulted on alongside the first stage consultation on the Minerals Local Plan.

An updated Equality Impact Assessment Relevance Screening was prepared to accompany the third stage consultation on the Minerals Local Plan.

An updated Equality Impact Assessment Relevance Screening was prepared to accompany the Fourth Stage Consultation on the Minerals Local Plan. There were no implications for the conclusions of the Equality Impact Assessment from the Addendum to the Fourth Stage Consultation.

An updated Equality Impact Assessment Relevance Screening has been prepared to accompany the Publication Version Consultation on the Minerals Local Plan.

Habitats Regulations Assessment

A Habitats Regulations Assessment Scoping Report was prepared and consulted on alongside the second stage consultation on the Minerals Local Plan.

A Habitats Regulation Assessment Record of Assessment was prepared and consulted on alongside the third stage consultation on the Minerals Local Plan.

A Habitats Regulation Assessment Record of Assessment was prepared to accompany the Fourth Stage Consultation on the Minerals Local Plan. There were no implications for the conclusions of the Habitats Regulations Assessment from the Addendum to the Fourth Stage Consultation.

A Habitats Regulation Assessment Record of Assessment was prepared to accompany the Publication Version Consultation on the Minerals Local Plan.

Strategic Flood Risk Assessment

A document assessing the Surface and Ground Water Protection Issues, including Flood Risk Assessment of Submitted Sites has been prepared for the third stage consultation on the Minerals Local Plan.

A Review and update of the Surface and Ground Water Protection Issues, including a Flood Risk Assessment of the Areas of Search has been prepared to accompany the Fourth Stage Consultation on the Minerals Local Plan. This takes account of the Addendum to the Fourth Stage Consultation. There are no implications for the conclusions of the Strategic Flood Risk Assessment from the Addendum to the Fourth Stage Consultation.

A Review and update of the Surface and Ground Water Protection Issues, including a Flood Risk Assessment of the Areas of Search has been prepared to accompany the Publication Version Consultation on the Minerals Local Plan.

Sustainability Appraisal

A Scoping Report was prepared and consulted on alongside the first stage consultation on the Minerals Local Plan.

An Initial Sustainability Appraisal was prepared and consulted on alongside the second stage consultation on the Minerals Local Plan.

An Environmental Report was prepared and consulted on alongside third stage consultation on the Minerals Local Plan.

A Sustainability Appraisal was prepared for the Fourth Stage Consultation on the Minerals Local Plan and this took account of the Addendum to the Fourth Stage Consultation (Addendum to the Fourth Stage Consultation) (PDF)). A further document outlined the Evolution of the Minerals Local Plan and Reasonable Alternatives up to Fourth Stage Consultation, 'telling the story' of how the Minerals Local Plan has been developed and setting out  the reasons why alternatives have been rejected or taken forward. (This is also included within the appendices of the Sustainability Appraisal of the Fourth Stage Consultation).

A Sustainability Appraisal was prepared for the Publication Version of the Minerals Local Plan.

Sustainability Appraisal was also undertaken on the Main Modifications to the Minerals Local Plan.

The final formal stage of the Sustainability Appraisal process was the publication of a Strategic Environmental Assessment adoption statement upon the adoption of the Minerals Local Plan. 

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