Scoping Document

2. Proposed layout of the new Nottinghamshire Minerals Local Plan

Introduction

2.1As outlined above, one of the key things we want to seek views on is what the new Nottinghamshire Minerals Local Plan should contain. We recognise that this will look different to the current adopted Plans due to the new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) (2026) which introduces new plan - making policies that set out what Plans should include, as well as national decision-making policies which are not to be duplicated by local plans.

2.2This chapter explains how the Councils have considered the new policies introduced by the NPPF and the current adopted Minerals Local Plan to inform what the new Plan should contain and a potential future layout.

Changes to National Planning Policy Framework

2.3Part of the wider changes to plan - making includes the Government introducing national decision-making policies, which all applications will be determined against. The Government published these policies alongside plan-making policies in the latest NPPF in August 2026. We have considered the plan-making and decision - making policies to identify what the new Plan should contain, which is outlined below.

Plan – making policies

2.4The plan - making policies within the NPPF outline what Local Plans should address and cover, with procedural policies provided in chapter 2 and topic policies covered in each chapter. Table 1 below highlights the key policies and their requirements for the new Minerals Plan.

Table 1: Key Plan-making policies and their requirements relating to what the minerals plan should contain.

2.5From these national plan-making policies, we have identified a basic outline of what the Plan should contain:

• A vision and measurable outcomes
• A spatial strategy
• Policies on future mineral need, including site allocations and site-specific policies
• Mineral safeguarding policy
• Local policies

2.6Further detail on what these chapters may contain to comply with the NPPF are detailed in the following chapters.

2.7Also, it should be noted that as per Policy PM2, we intend for the Plan to cover a 15 – year period, from 2029 to 2045, which is beyond the 10 – year minimum period. This is because we want to recognise that mineral developments are often longer-term developments which would benefit from a Plan that covers a 15 – year period. As per the regulations, the Plan will be updated every 5 years.

Decision - making policies

2.8Decision - making policies are also provided for both procedural and topic areas and together they form the national decision - making policies which all applications will be determined against.

2.9Clause 1(c) of Policy PM6: General Principles for plan - making in the NPPF is clear that local plans should not duplicate national decision - making policies. As stated in clause 1(b), only policies which extend beyond site allocations should be included where necessary and there is clear and justified reason for including them.

2.10To understand whether there are any local policies that need to be included, we have assessed the policies within the current adopted Minerals Local Plan policies to understand if these duplicate national decision - making policies or not. This assessment is detailed below.

Assessment of the adopted Minerals Local Plan

2.11Alongside consideration of the NPPF policies, we have also assessed the current adopted Nottinghamshire Minerals Local Plan to help inform the potential layout and content of the new Plan.

2.12We have assessed the Plan and its policies against:

• Performance since the Plans adoption and how it has been applied to planning decisions
• Changes in local context and policies since the Plans adoption
• Changes to national policy since the Plans adoption, including the NPPF.

2.13Appendix 1: Assessment of adopted mineral policies against the NPPF, provides a summary of our assessment of the current policies against the NPPF. It notes which policies are now duplicating the national decision – making policies, thus are no longer needed, as well as identifying which elements of the adopted policies are still required. This assessment has helped identify the proposed layout of the Plan and what each chapter should potentially contain. In particular it has helped identify what local policies the Plan may need to contain.

Proposed layout of the Plan

2.14By considering the new NPPF and the assessment of the current policies within the Minerals Local Plan, we have identified the following potential layout for the new Minerals Plan:

• Context of the Nottinghamshire Minerals Local Plan
• Vision and measurable outcomes
• Spatial strategy for minerals development
• Future mineral need and provision, which includes
  • Policies identifying the amount of mineral needed
  • Policies identifying site allocations to meet the identified need
  • Policies for site specific allocations
• Safeguarding mineral resources and infrastructure
• Local policies on any relevant matters
• Monitoring of the Plan

2.15What each of these sections could potentially contain is outlined in the following chapters and we want to hear from you about key matters and issues on these areas. We have asked specific questions on the content and issues within each chapter and welcome your views and feedback on these.

2.16Please note that the structure, content and spatial strategy are not set in stone at this point. We will consider your feedback from this consultation and any further guidance that is issued by the Government to determine the final plan content. You will be able to comment on the plan content, which will include a draft vision, spatial strategy and potentially draft policies at the next consultation stage.