Draft Nottinghamshire Minerals Local Plan

I write in response to your consultation on the new Nottinghamshire Minerals Local Plan.
The City Council have considered the amount of mineral resource the County considers is required within the plan period to 2036, the range of planning policies against which future minerals development will be assessed and the site specific allocations.
Strategic Objectives
It is welcomed that the strategic objectives have been broadened out in this draft version of the plan to minimise all adverse impacts of development, including on environmental and heritage features.
MP2s Mill Hill
It is noted that there is a proposed allocation at Barton in Fabis known as MP2s Mill Hill for approx. 3 million tonnes of sand and gravel. There is a current planning application being determined by both Nottinghamshire County Council and Nottingham City Council for this proposed allocation as the planning application (17/00930/PMFUL3) site straddles the boundaries between the two mineral authorities. Approx. 11 hectares of the site is within the City boundary which equates to approx. 12% of the whole proposed site.
If this site is to be pursued then it will need to be fully justified and assessed against all alternatives to determine the most sustainable pattern on mineral extraction across the plan area over the plan period. This will include fully assessing the potential negative impacts on flooding, the historic environment, landscape, the green belt, air and water quality, biodiversity assets including the nearby SSSI at Home Pitt, highway network, etc. It is noted that the accompanying Sustainability Appraisal for this site has a number of unknowns and some significant negative scores for many of the SA objectives.
Major Infrastructure, Housing and Commercial Developments
It would be useful if the document could make reference to major infrastructure projects that may have an impact on the area such as HS2 and any implications for mineral resource. It is noted that the plan acknowledges that there is to be major housing and commercial development in the future within the area but it would also be useful if any implications for the level of resource required is fully explored and explained.
MP12: Hydrocarbon Minerals
It is considered that the Policy MP12: Hydrocarbon Minerals appears to be in general conformity with the Revised NPPF 2018 although it may be worth further explanation within the justification text how any approved site at each stage (exploration, appraisal and production and later restoration) will be monitored.
There may be an opportunity for the County to consider incorporating a similar approach to Kirklees Council where they have a proposed a policy on the production of hydrocarbons in their Kirklees Publication Draft Local Plan - Strategy and Policies. The policy (PLP 42, page 159) sets out that for the production of hydrocarbons, consideration, amongst other things, will be given to "where a proposal demonstrates that it will have a net zero impact on climate change".

I write in response to your consultation on the new Nottinghamshire Minerals Local Plan.
The City Council have considered the amount of mineral resource the County considers is required within the plan period to 2036, the range of planning policies against which future minerals development will be assessed and the site specific allocations.
Strategic Objectives
It is welcomed that the strategic objectives have been broadened out in this draft version of the plan to minimise all adverse impacts of development, including on environmental and heritage features.
MP2s Mill Hill
It is noted that there is a proposed allocation at Barton in Fabis known as MP2s Mill Hill for approx. 3 million tonnes of sand and gravel. There is a current planning application being determined by both Nottinghamshire County Council and Nottingham City Council for this proposed allocation as the planning application (17/00930/PMFUL3) site straddles the boundaries between the two mineral authorities. Approx. 11 hectares of the site is within the City boundary which equates to approx. 12% of the whole proposed site.
If this site is to be pursued then it will need to be fully justified and assessed against all alternatives to determine the most sustainable pattern on mineral extraction across the plan area over the plan period. This will include fully assessing the potential negative impacts on flooding, the historic environment, landscape, the green belt, air and water quality, biodiversity assets including the nearby SSSI at Home Pitt, highway network, etc. It is noted that the accompanying Sustainability Appraisal for this site has a number of unknowns and some significant negative scores for many of the SA objectives.
Major Infrastructure, Housing and Commercial Developments
It would be useful if the document could make reference to major infrastructure projects that may have an impact on the area such as HS2 and any implications for mineral resource. It is noted that the plan acknowledges that there is to be major housing and commercial development in the future within the area but it would also be useful if any implications for the level of resource required is fully explored and explained.
MP12: Hydrocarbon Minerals
It is considered that the Policy MP12: Hydrocarbon Minerals appears to be in general conformity with the Revised NPPF 2018 although it may be worth further explanation within the justification text how any approved site at each stage (exploration, appraisal and production and later restoration) will be monitored.
There may be an opportunity for the County to consider incorporating a similar approach to Kirklees Council where they have a proposed a policy on the production of hydrocarbons in their Kirklees Publication Draft Local Plan - Strategy and Policies. The policy (PLP 42, page 159) sets out that for the production of hydrocarbons, consideration, amongst other things, will be given to "where a proposal demonstrates that it will have a net zero impact on climate change".

I write in response to your consultation on the new Nottinghamshire Minerals Local Plan.
The City Council have considered the amount of mineral resource the County considers is required within the plan period to 2036, the range of planning policies against which future minerals development will be assessed and the site specific allocations.
Strategic Objectives
It is welcomed that the strategic objectives have been broadened out in this draft version of the plan to minimise all adverse impacts of development, including on environmental and heritage features.
MP2s Mill Hill
It is noted that there is a proposed allocation at Barton in Fabis known as MP2s Mill Hill for approx. 3 million tonnes of sand and gravel. There is a current planning application being determined by both Nottinghamshire County Council and Nottingham City Council for this proposed allocation as the planning application (17/00930/PMFUL3) site straddles the boundaries between the two mineral authorities. Approx. 11 hectares of the site is within the City boundary which equates to approx. 12% of the whole proposed site.
If this site is to be pursued then it will need to be fully justified and assessed against all alternatives to determine the most sustainable pattern on mineral extraction across the plan area over the plan period. This will include fully assessing the potential negative impacts on flooding, the historic environment, landscape, the green belt, air and water quality, biodiversity assets including the nearby SSSI at Home Pitt, highway network, etc. It is noted that the accompanying Sustainability Appraisal for this site has a number of unknowns and some significant negative scores for many of the SA objectives.
Major Infrastructure, Housing and Commercial Developments
It would be useful if the document could make reference to major infrastructure projects that may have an impact on the area such as HS2 and any implications for mineral resource. It is noted that the plan acknowledges that there is to be major housing and commercial development in the future within the area but it would also be useful if any implications for the level of resource required is fully explored and explained.
MP12: Hydrocarbon Minerals
It is considered that the Policy MP12: Hydrocarbon Minerals appears to be in general conformity with the Revised NPPF 2018 although it may be worth further explanation within the justification text how any approved site at each stage (exploration, appraisal and production and later restoration) will be monitored.
There may be an opportunity for the County to consider incorporating a similar approach to Kirklees Council where they have a proposed a policy on the production of hydrocarbons in their Kirklees Publication Draft Local Plan - Strategy and Policies. The policy (PLP 42, page 159) sets out that for the production of hydrocarbons, consideration, amongst other things, will be given to "where a proposal demonstrates that it will have a net zero impact on climate change".