GBC acknowledges the importance of the Ibstock Brickworks to the local economy and the local jobs it provides. The Issues and options document's text indicates exhaustion of the Dorket Head permitted clay resource around 2030 well before the end of the plan period. The Issues and Options document also states that apart from the proposed small southern extension there are unlikely to be any further options to extend the clay pit. Assuming the MLP is adopted in 2019 then the individual land bank for Dorket Head would be just over 10 years supply less than half the 25 year supply advised by National guidance. GBC considers it is important to identify additional resource at the earliest opportunity through a plan led approach and GBC's preferred option would be for a site specific allocation for a remote extension/new site with its second preference being a sufficiently concise area of search. This would provide the most certainty for the both the operator, the local community and assist in forward planning at the Borough level.
At the recent examination hearings into the GBC Local Planning Document, GBC agreed to identify the Ibstock Brickworks as a protected employment site. In this context we would also wish to flag up our recent discussions with you where it was agreed that NCC as MPA would consider the inclusion of a policy in support of brick manufacture at the Dorket Head within its Minerals Local Plan (please see document EX/107 on the GBC LPD examination web site).