Minerals Local Plan

Minerals Local Plan Examination

4 July 2022

Warwickshire County Council received a copy of the Inspector's Report on 29th June 2022, confirming that the Warwickshire Minerals Local Plan 2018-2032 is sound, subject to the Council including a number of Main Modifications as recommended by the Inspector. The Inspector's Report is available to view here:

Inspector's report (PINS) - Warwickshire Minerals Plan

The Plan with Modifications will be considered by Cabinet on 14th July 2022 and will then be considered for adoption by Full Council on 19th July 2022. The Modifications recommended by the inspector were contained in a separate schedule.

Inspector's Schedule of Main Modifications    

A copy of the Plan will be available as a Tracked Change version with Modifications agreed since the Cabinet in October 2021 attached here.

Warwickshire Minerals Plan for Adoption - Track Changed Version

There is also a "clean" version of the Minerals Local Plan which is the final version which will eventually be published.

Warwickshire Minerals Plan Clean Version

The Examination has now been completed but the documents will remain on the Examination webpage for a period of time until the main documents are transferred across to the Minerals Policy Webpage.

Following this decision there is a six week period when the decision can be legally challenged. 

17 March 2022

Following the receipt of comments on the Main Modifications Consultation the Council has produced a Schedule of Comments and Responses including those on the Sustainability Appraisal.

The completed Schedule document PSD 30 has been submitted to the Inspector together with a full set of responses to the Plan Consultation.

PSD30 Summary of Proposed Main Mods Consultation Comments and Responses

PSD 31 is a copy of the Schedule of Main Modifications with two changes brought about by the enactment of the Environment Act 2021.

PSD31 Schedule of Main Modifications 

For information, the latest tracked changes version of the Minerals Plan with all the proposed modifications included is also available to view here:

Minerals Plan Modifications Tracked Changes Version

Some documents were previously not assigned a Post Submission Document number during the Main Modifications Consultation; these are now listed as follows:

Previously submitted documents (PSDs) which formed part of the Main Modifications Consultation are available to view below: 

The Inspector will consider all the comments and responses and in due course will produce his report on the Examination.

5 November 2021

Following the Examination Hearings in October 2020, and having liaised further with the Planning Inspector, the Council has prepared a Schedule of Proposed Main Modifications to the submitted Plan. The Council is now inviting written comments on the Main Modifications until 7th January 2022.

To make comments, please fill in a representation form for each modification and send it to the Council by email or by post. A copy of the form can be downloaded from the Council’s Consultation Portal.

Full details of the consultation can be found on the Consultation Portal through the above link.

17 September 2021

The Council has prepared a further Topic Paper to inform the Examination in Public - PSD23 MSA Topic Paper.pdf. This paper sets out and explains why some changes have been made to the Mineral Safeguarding Areas.

9 August 2021

The Council has responded to the Inspector's request to consider the implications of the revised National Planning Policy Framework (published 20th July 2021): PSD 22A - WCC Response to Inspector's Letter to Council re Revised NPPF .pdf

22 July 2021

The Inspector has asked the Council to consider the implications of the revised National Planning Policy Framework (published 20th July 2021) on the soundness of the Minerals Plan, as outlined in his letter: PSD 22 - Inspector Letter to Council re Revised NPPF.pdf

15 May 2021

The Council have carefully considered the Inspector’s comments in his Post Hearing Advice Note (October 2020) on various matters which he felt needed further consideration. As a result the Council have produced the following documents which are now available for public viewing in the Post Submission Documents Library below:

PSD19 Minerals Plan Spatial Option Background Paper
PSD20 Minerals Plan Planned Growth Topic Paper, plus its appendices
PSD21 Plan Calculation Background Paper

At this stage the Inspector is not inviting any comments or correspondence on these documents. However, there will be an opportunity for people to comment on these documents as part of the public consultation on the draft modifications to the Minerals Plan 2018 which is anticipated to commence in Summer 2021.

If you have any queries, please speak to the Programme Officer Mr Ian Kemp in the first instance.

23 October 2020

The Inspector has provided the Council with his Post Hearing Note: PSD18 Inspector's Post Hearing Note 231020.pdf

21 October 2020

The Minerals Products Association have provided evidence relating to public exposure to silica at quarries in Post Submission Document, PSD17 below.  

20 & 21 October 2020

Hearings took place.

19 October 2020

The Post Submission Document, PSD15, has been updated to cover functional linkages with the Humber as well as the Severn Estuary and has now also been signed by the Environment Agency.

16 October 2020

The Post Submission Document library has been updated with PSD15, a signed Statement of Common Ground with Natural England and PSD16, a revised list of proposed text changes.  The Council has also requested the Inspector recommend to the Council any modifications to the Minerals Plan pursuant to paragraph 20 (7C) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004: WCC request under 20 (7c)_Redacted.pdf

15 October 2020

The Post Submission Document library has been updated with PSD11, PSD12, PSD13 and PSD14, signed Statements of Common Ground with North Warwickshire Borough Council, the Environment Agency, the Association of Black Country Authorities and Rugby Borough Council.

13 October 2020

The Council's Written Statement on Main Matter 3 has been updated to correct typographic errors in the figures presented in the Appendix to the Statement.  The updated statement can be found via the Main Matter 3 link in the 'Written Statement' section below.

30 September 2020

Supplementary Written Statements are now available and can be found in the ‘Written Statements’ section below.

29 September 2020

The Inspector has produced a Guidance Note on the format of Virtual Hearings: Inspectors Note for Virtual Hearing Participants

24 September 2020

Due to the ongoing Covid situation the Hearing Sessions will now take place virtually through Microsoft Teams. The Inspector has produced a note: Inspector Note - Format of Hearings Update, additional details and Guidance will be provided shortly.

9 September 2020

The Post Submission Document library below has been updated with PSD09, on background information used in the SIAM and Site Assessments, it's Appendices, and PSD10, an update relating to HS2 aggregate requirements.  

4 September 2020

The Post Submission Document library has been updated with PSD08, a signed Statement of Common Ground with Highways England.  

13 May 2020

Hearing Sessions for the Warwickshire Minerals Local Plan Examination have now been rescheduled for Tuesday 20th and Wednesday 21st of October 2020.

The Inspector has prepared Supplementary Guidance Note, Updated Matters Issues and Questions and an update to the Programme to take account of the rescheduled dates and revised arrangements.

11 May 2020

Unfortunately and in light of Government Guidance to control the Coronavirus outbreak, hearings for the Warwickshire Minerals Plan due to take place on the 3rd and 4th June 2020 have been postponed.

At this stage it is not possible to be certain when the hearings might be rescheduled but it is unlikely to be before the end of the summer. After new dates have been arranged the website will be updated and participants notified.

Please keep an eye on this website for further updates.

Please note that the Planning Inspectorate has provided guidance in relation to Coronavirus and how it is likely to affect Local Plan Examinations. 

24 April 2020

The Post Submission Document library has been updated with PSD07, an updated list of proposed changes for Inspector consideration.

23 April 2020

Written Statements received in response to the Inspector’s Matters, Issues and Questions are available in the Written Statements section below.

20 April 2020

Six post submission documents have been provided by Warwickshire County Council, including four draft Statements of Common Ground, a background information paper prepared for Rugby Borough Council, and a flood risk assessment, which when read with the previously submitted Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SUB49) outlines the application of the sequential, risk based approach.  The Post Submission Documents (PSD) library can be found below under the heading Evidence Base Documents.

Hearings

Hearing Sessions took place on Tuesday 20th and Wednesday 21st October through Microsoft Teams.

Here's the final Hearing Programme v3

The Inspectors Matters, Issues and Questions can be found below:

Matters Issues and Questions v2.pdf

The Inspector prepared Guidance Notes, these explain many of the administrative and procedural aspects of the process. Should you have any queries please contact the Programme Officer:

The Inspector

Planning Inspector Stephen Normington BSc DipTP MRICS MRTPI FIQ FIHE has been appointed to undertake an independent examination into the soundness of the Warwickshire Minerals Plan (the Plan).

The Inspector’s task is to consider the soundness and legal compliance of the submitted Plan, based on the criteria set out in paragraph 35 of the National Planning Policy Framework 2019 (the Framework) and associated regulations, namely the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, the Localism Act 2011 and the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012.

The Inspector will take into account the representations submitted upon the Submission Plan as far as they relate to soundness considerations. A number of informal debates will take place on the principal matters identified by the Inspector these are termed Hearing Sessions.

At the end of the Examination, the Inspector will prepare a report to the Council with precise recommendations, these recommendations may include modifications to the Plan, if such a request is made by the Council.

Guidance Notes (Guidance Note.pdf, Supplementary Guidance Note.pdf and Inspectors Note for Virtual Hearing Participants) have been prepared by the Inspector to help people understand the process. Any queries people may have regarding the Examination process should be directed to the Programme Officer who will be happy to assist.

The Programme Officer

The Programme Officer, Ian Kemp, will act as the contact for any person who has an interest in the Examination and as a liaison between the Inspector, Council and representors.

He is an independent Officer of the Examination and works on behalf of the Inspector to organise and manage the administrative and procedural elements of the Examination process.

Any matters that anyone wishes to raise with the Inspector should be submitted via the Programme Officer.

Contact details:

Ian Kemp
Programme Officer
PO Box 241
Droitwich
WR9 1DW

Mobile: 0772 300 9166

Email: idkemp@icloud.com 

Written Statements

The following Written Statements have been received in response to the Inspector’s Matters, Issues and Questions:

Evidence Base Documents

Post Submission Documents:

Submission Documents:

In preparing the Plan the Council both refer to and were informed by a number of documents that together form the 'Evidence Base' for the Examination. These documents can be accessed through clicking on the link below:

Minerals Plan Submission Documents

Latest Documents

The submitted Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (Submission Document - SUB49) was updated on 17 January 2020, to include Appendix A - Figures referred to in the assessment.  The updated version is available in the Submission Document Library.

Copies of Representations

Representations on the Minerals Plan Publication Consultation 2018 and Policy MCS10 Warwickshire Minerals Plan 2018 consultation, relating to Underground Coal Gasification, which collectively form the submitted plan, can be viewed either by clicking on the:

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