- By Buckinghamshire Business First
- 15 August, 2017
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Buckinghamshire County Council’s Minerals & Waste Local Plan is open for consultation, so speak now or forever hold your peace!
Buckinghamshire County Council is embarking on a consultation on its Draft Bucks Minerals and Waste Local Plan, which runs until Wednesday 20th September 2017.
Introduction to Minerals and Waste planning policy
It is the role of the County Council to prepare Minerals and Waste Planning Documents for Buckinghamshire. As stated by the Council:
“The main minerals found in Buckinghamshire are sand and gravel, which are essential for construction activities. We are required to ensure that there is sufficient sand and gravel sites with planning permission for extraction to meet local demand, and to contribute towards national demand. Some chalk and clay extraction also takes place within the County.
“Waste developments can include landfill, recycling centers, bulking up facilities, energy from waste plants and anaerobic digestion facilities. These facilities are vital to safely manage the waste produced by households, industry, and businesses in the County.”
Local planning authorities are required to produce ‘Development Plans’ that outline their strategies and policies for the future. Buckinghamshire County Council’s new plan will replace existing plans stretching back to 2006 and will include site allocations for minerals and identify locations where waste development would be appropriate.
The new Local Plan is now at Draft Plan stage and is being consulted on for eight weeks until Wednesday 20th September 2017.
Buckinghamshire County Council says that it “is in the process of reviewing its adopted local plan policies for minerals and waste. This is to ensure we continue to have an up to date plan in line with government guidance. We are doing this by preparing a new comprehensive Minerals and Waste Local Plan. We are now at a key stage where a draft of the proposed new Minerals and Waste Local Plan is being consulted on.”
If you would like to find out more about the draft plan or talk to officers, the Council is holding seven exhibitions across the county; in Amersham on August 23rd, Buckingham on August 29th, High Wycombe on September 2nd, and Iver on September 5th. More details of these can be found here.
