Amending the 'Localism' Bill to include Mineral Planning
Proposed amendment to the Neighbourhood Planning Process as currently proposed in the Localism Bill
Those involved in developing their Neighbourhood Plan should be allowed to express an opinion on the way Mineral Planning Policy for their area could impact on their local Neighbourhood.Plan. I suggest that the Neighbourhood Planners need answers to the following information from the Mineral Planning Authority for their area in order to do it.
The new process of drawing up a Local Neighbourhood Plan should include information about the following:
i) Are their are reserves of Minerals which could be exploited within the boundaries of the Neighbourhood Plan Area ?
ii) Has a planning application been made to exploit them in the past?
iii) Is any part of the Neighbourhood Plan area 'safeguarded' from other kinds of development in order to prevent the sterilisation of one or more mineral reserve? If so for which Mineral?
iv) Is any part of the Neighbourhood Plan area identified as a 'Land Bank' and if so for which Mineral?
v) Has any Developer given any indication that they have an interest in exploring the extent of the occurrence of one or more Mineral in the Neighbourhood Plan Area and if so for which Mineral?"
That would do for a start and others might have their own ideas to add.
Steve Leary
shared this idea
6 comments
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woodsman
commented
This would be good I think.
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Marcia Simpson-James
commented
Thanks for clafrification Steve - Keep it strong!
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Steve Leary
commented
Marcia,
The Government, in promoting the idea of 'localism' as part of a move to a 'Big Society' as a means of transferring power to local communities so that they can have more control over the future use of land, is deceiving people about how much power they will be able to exercise if mineral planning is excluded from the Bill. Its not just future plans for opencast coal mining which is at stake (which is my particular concern - see 'Stop Opencast Mining within 500m of peoples' homes' suggestion, but all other forms of mineral extraction such as sand, clay,peat, gravel, and hard rock quarries for example.
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Marcia Simpson-James
commented
And what's your specific interest again?
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Joe Henshaw
commented
Considering that the severe long-term negative impact of mineral developments on local communities is likely to exceed those of many of the other issues coming under the Localism Bill, their exclusion to date is extraordinary, illogical and unacceptable.
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Steve Leary
commented
Clause 96 of the Localism Bill as currently drafted is the clause that needs amending. As evidence of the need for this amendment, when the Bill had it's 2nd reading in the House of Commons no mention was made at all of Mineral Planing - rather a big omission. To read the debate on the 2nd Reading and to follow the Bill's progress follow these links:.
Debate on the 2nd Reading:
The Bill's progress in Parliament:
