Agenda item

Report of the Corporate Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) on arrangements for responding to consultation on Hertfordshire County Council’s Proposed Submission version of the Hertfordshire Minerals Local Plan.

Report of the Corporate Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) on the Hertfordshire Minerals Local Plan proposed submission consultation January 2019.  Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) had published it proposed submission version of the Hertfordshire Minerals Local Plan (MLP) for consultation which closed on 22 March 2019.  Once adopted this Plan would replace the policies contained within its existing Minerals Local Plan (adopted in 2007) that covered the period between 2002 – 2016.

HCC had previously undertaken a number of consultations on what should be contained within the Mineral Local Plan and site selection methodology.  The last consultation was considered by Members of this Panel on 8 February 2018 and this could had raised a number of concerns.

The latest consultation was the formal regulation 19 consultation stage and the Council’s response would need to focus on any soundness or cross boundary strategic issues relating to the Duty to Cooperate.

The main body of the report highlighted the key issues whilst the proposed Council’s response had been included in Appendix A to the report.  As set out in the main report a response would also be made to Policy 9 of the Plan stating that reference should be made in the Minerals Local Plan to the jointly agreed strategic allocation of Birchall Garden Suburb.

The report noted that in response to the last consultation the Council expressed concern about the cumulative impact of three sites in West Hatfield being allocated in the Plan and the potential impact on the quality of life of residents in this area.

Members discussed the total aggregates provision for plan period plus seven years thereafter and clarification was sought on extracting sufficient quantities to meet the needs of the County for future developments.  A Member also highlighted that substantial amounts had already been extracted over the last 60-70 years and probably very small pockets left at the sites in question.

A Member raised the issue of the sites noted in the Memorandum of Understanding and Officers explained that these were prepared with the information available at the time. 

Members expressed concern that the impacts of the Minerals Local Plan had not been assessed as part of the A414 strategy and that this should be referred to in our response.

Councillor Zukowskyj expressed concern at the proposed response suggesting that North West Hatfield should not be allocated for mineral extraction as windfall applications very rarely deliver significant quantities of minerals which are a non-renewable resource.

The Panel agreed the recommendation and Members approved that the final response be confirmed in consultation with Councillor H. Bromley in place of Councillor S. Boulton.

It was moved by Councillor H. Bromley, seconded by Councillor S. Kasumu and

RESOLVED

(9 for and 2 abstentions)

1.    That the Panel agrees the proposed response to the Hertfordshire Mineral Local Plan Consultation (2019) as set out in Appendix A to the report and;

2.    The Panel agrees that the final response be confirmed by the Head of Planning in consultation with the Executive Member for Planning.