Essex Minerals Local Plan Review Policy S6

Overview

Essex Minerals Local Plan Review Policy S6 Engagement

The Essex Minerals Local Plan was adopted in July 2014 and provides planning policies for minerals development in Essex until 2029. It sets a policy framework within which the best possible use of mineral resources; mainly sand and gravel in Essex, can be achieved. It also allocates sites for future mineral extraction and associated development. 

Proposed amendments to the Essex Minerals Local Plan 2014 were consulted on between 18th March – 29th April 2021, under Regulation 18 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012 (as amended). The consultation responses are in the process of being assessed.

As a result of this consultation, a number of amendments are considered to be required relating to Policy S6 which are considered to be too significant to allow for a progression to the Regulation 19 stage of the Plan Review without further additional engagement.

Please note that the scope of this additional engagement is Policy S6 only. All other comments received during the previous consultation on the Minerals Local Plan Review remain valid and are in the process of being assessed, with amendments to the future MLP being drafted accordingly.

More details on the engagement on Policy S6, including proposed changes and seven supporting documents, can be found at www.essex.gov.uk/minerals-review

Alongside an engagement exercise on the future direction of Policy S6, we are holding a Call for Sites exercise. Please note that this is being carried out without prejudice to the outcome of the current engagement on Policy S6. The conclusions drawn following the engagement on Policy S6 will help determine a newly proposed quantity of mineral for which the Council must plan for and consequently the need, if any, for additional sites to be allocated through the current MLP Review.

More information in relation to the Call for Sites exercise can be found at www.essex.gov.uk/minerals-review

The four key documents supporting the engagement on Policy S6 are available to view here on this portal:

Topic Paper - Policy S6: Provision for Sand and Gravel Extraction 2021

This is the main document that supports this engagement exercise. It provides a response to all comments received in relation to Policy S6 that came out of the Minerals Local Plan Review Regulation 18 consultation in April 2021. It also presents the subsequent rationale for the future proposed direction of Policy S6 ahead of another Regulation 18 consultation which will follow this engagement exercise.

Topic Paper - Policy S6

Policy S6 of the Minerals Local Plan 2014: Draft Amendments

This document sets out what Policy S6 would look like if the recommendations of the Policy S6 Topic Paper were taken forward, with all amendments shown as tracked changes. New wording from that which exists in the currently adopted Minerals Local Plan is shown in underlined italics, with existing wording in the Minerals Local Plan which is proposed to be deleted shown with a ~~strikethrough~~. This allows you to more easily view what is being proposed to be amended.

Policy S6 - Draft amendments

Policy S6 of the Minerals Local Plan 2014: Amendments Made

This document sets out what Policy S6 would look like if the recommendations of the Policy S6 Topic Paper were taken forward, with all additions and deletions having been made. This allows you to more easily view how the proposed amendments at this stage would fit into the future amended plan.

Policy S6 - Amendments Made

Policy S6 of the Minerals Local Plan 2014: Schedule of Amendments

This includes a list of all the proposed amendments to Policy S6 by paragraph reference number.

Policy S6 - Schedule of amendments

This is your opportunity to influence the future direction of Policy S6 of the Minerals Local Plan and therefore the approach to mineral provision in the County.

Comments received during this engagement will be analysed and the proposed amendments to Policy S6 redrafted accordingly. A revised Policy S6 will then undergo another public consultation in accordance with Regulation 18 of the Town and Country Planning Act (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012 (As amended) alongside a schedule of Preferred and Non-Preferred Sites depending on the outcomes of the Policy S6 engagement. This future consultation will include the authority’s responses to the issues raised during this engagement.

The date of this further public consultation will be published on the County Council’s website following an assessment of the comments received.

Consent

Please note we are unable to accept anonymous representations. It is a requirement of the Local Plan process that comments can only be deemed legitimate (‘‘duly made’’) if they are received in a written format with a name and address supplied. Comments made verbally or anonymously cannot be accepted.

All comments made to this engagement will be made available to view publicly on this portal, including those submitted via letter and email. Information will be published in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act, The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and ECC’s own privacy notice.