Guide to this document

This is the publication version of the Nottinghamshire Minerals Local Plan which we intend to submit to the Secretary of State for examination. The Minerals Local Plan will set out the planning policy against which all proposals for minerals development will be assessed against. Following earlier, informal, stages of consultation this is your chance to make formal representations on the Minerals Local Plan. The formal period for making representations will last for six weeks and run from Friday 30^th August 2019 to 4.30pm Friday 11^th October 2019.

An independent inspector will then be appointed to hold a public examination to consider the soundness of the Minerals Local Plan. The inspector will produce a schedule for the examination setting out those issues he or she wishes to cover. You may have the opportunity to speak at the examination to present your case, but this will be at the discretion of the inspector. Everyone who responds to this consultation will be kept informed of the timetable for the examination.

If the inspector decides that the Minerals Local Plan is sound, the County Council will adopt it, along with any binding changes required by the inspector. If it is not found sound, we will need to make further amendments and re-consult, or we may have to withdraw the plan and start again.

How to make representations

If you would like to make formal representations on the Minerals Local Plan, we would encourage you to do so online via our website at www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/minerals , using our interactive online representation system. However, you can also email or post us your representation form (available to download online, or by contacting us below). All representations must include the following information:

• Your name and contact details
• Which part of the Minerals Local Plan your comments refer to
• Whether you support or object
• If you are objecting, you must also include:
  • The grounds on which your objection is being made (see note on our website regarding soundness and legal compliance)
  • How you would like the plan to be changed and why.

Want to find out more?

If you would like to know more about the background to the Minerals Local plan, you can view all the supporting documents and evidence on our website or by contacting us via the methods above. Paper copies can be viewed at County Hall and reference copies of the Minerals Local Plan will be available at the main libraries and District/Borough Council offices during normal opening hours.

Supporting documents

The Minerals Local Plan is supported by a series of technical and assessment reports which include:

Local Aggregates Assessment (LAA)

The LAA summarises past aggregate production, the number of active quarries and the distribution of the extracted mineral. It includes 10 and 3 year average production figures as required by the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and identifies key issues that could affect the future demand for aggregates over the next plan period. The LAA is produced on an annual basis taking account of the most recent production data.

Monitoring Report

These reports are produced at least annually and show how the County Council is progressing with preparing its new Local Plans and how well its' current adopted policies are being implemented.

Statement of Community Involvement (SCI)

This sets out how Nottinghamshire County Council will consult and engage with local people, statutory bodies and other groups during the preparation of the Local Plan and on mineral planning applications.

Sustainability Appraisal (SA)

The purpose of the SA is to promote sustainable development through better integration of sustainability considerations in the preparation and adoption of plans. SA helps local planning authorities to ensure that sustainable development is considered in the preparation of their plans. At the heart of the NPPF there is a 'presumption in favour of sustainable development' which should apply to plan and decision-making.SA has been an integral part of all stages of the preparation of the new Minerals Local Plan, with reports produced at each stage. This Publication version is accompanied by a Sustainability Appraisal report.

Strategic Transport Assessment (STA)

Consultation with the Highways Authority during the preparation of the Minerals Local Plan has indicated that each proposed site would not have significant impacts on the highway network if a relevant package of mitigation measures were implemented. However, a detailed strategic transport assessment has been completed to ensure that there are no unacceptable overall impacts on the highway network. This concludes that the highway impacts of new or extended mineral sites would be minimal and highlights appropriate mitigation measures, where relevant. In addition to these strategic findings, all sites will require a detailed transport assessment at the planning application stage.

Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA)

A Level 1 Strategic Flood Risk Assessment for the Nottinghamshire Minerals Local Plan has been undertaken by AECOM on behalf of the County Council. The purpose of this report was to assess and map the different levels and types of flood risk to inform the development of the Minerals Local Plan. In addition to the work carried out, all sites will require a site-specific Flood Risk Assessment at the planning application stage.

Biodiversity Opportunity Mapping

A project undertaken for the Sherwood and Trent Valley areas to identify particular opportunities for the enhancement, expansion, creation and re-linking of wildlife habitats across the county. The project will help to meet creation/restoration targets set in the UK Post 2010 Biodiversity Framework and Local Biodiversity Action Plan.

Habitats Regulation Assessment – Screening Report

A Habitats Regulation Assessment – screening report has been undertaken for the Nottinghamshire Minerals Local Plan by AECOM on behalf of the County Council. The screening report identifies any aspects of the plan that would cause a likely significant effect on the integrity of any European Sites, which include Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), candidate SACs, Special Protection Areas (SPAs) and potential SPAs (pSPAs) and Ramsar sites, both in isolation and in combination with other plans and projects. The report also determines whether appropriate assessment (AA) would be required in order to identify potential adverse effects on the integrity of any European sites.

Site selection methodology and assessment report

A report has been prepared that sets out the key stages undertaken in identifying and assessing potential site allocations. The report summarises the key information from the series of technical assessment documents prepared to support the minerals local plan, and how this information has been used to identify the site-specific allocations.