Issue - meetings

Cabinet Member: Environment

Forward Plan Ref: 2020/024

Contact: Kevin Broughton, Principal Minerals Officer Tel: 07979 704458

Report by Director for Planning & Place (CA11).

The County Council must prepare and maintain a Minerals and Waste Development Scheme (MWDS), which sets out the programme for production of the Oxfordshire Minerals and Waste Local Plan. The most recent revision of the Oxfordshire Minerals and Waste Development Scheme was approved in February 2019.  The Cabinet is asked to consider a revised programme following delays to the previously advised timetable and ultimately the proposed timetable for adoption of the Minerals and Waste Local Plan. This is needed because the timetable for the preparation of the Minerals and Waste Local Plan Part 2 - Sites Allocation Plan is now out of date.  The proposed programme has a revised target for adoption by February 2022 which involves the following key stages: consultation on Preferred Site Options in January - March 2020; publication of the pre-submission Draft Plan in September 2020; and submission to the Planning Inspectorate for independent examination in January 2021.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to approve the Oxfordshire Minerals and Waste Development Scheme (Tenth Revision) 2020 at Annex 1, in order to have effect from 17 March 2020 and to delegate final detailed amendment and editing to the Corporate Director of Place and Growth in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Environment.

Recommendations approved.

Cabinet was asked to consider a revised minerals and waste development scheme and ultimately the proposed timetable for the preparation of the Minerals and Waste Local Plan.

Councillor Bob Johnston had requested to speak on this item but was unable to attend on medical advice.  He sent a text which the Chairman agreed to include in the minutes:

“Again I fully support the recommendations.  It will protect the whole County from speculative applications for mineral extraction.  This is particularly relevant to Kennington and Radley in as much as a local land owner has made public his desire to reactivate the Radley ROMP.  I am advised that a complete and adopted strategy will make his speculative desire that much more difficult to achieve.”

Councillor Yvonne Constance introduced the report which is aimed at making a submission to the Planning Inspectorate in January 2021.  Kevin Broughton, Minerals Principle Officer, noted that the consultation had been delayed due to staff changes.  However, the timetable presented in the report would ensure that the submission was made within the term of this Council.

Rachel Wileman added that more nominations of sites had been received than had been anticipated.  Also, there had been changes to the habitat assessments that took more time.

Councillor Lawrie Stratford commented that he had no qualms about the time taken to get this far – it was more important to make it robust.

Councillor Lorraine Lindsay-Gale thanked officers for their attendance at local meetings and the clarity of the responses that they gave.

Councillor Constance referred to a question she had received in writing from Councillor John Sanders.  He was concerned that if the target for completion was not met, then it would make it difficult to control operators.  However, she was assured that Part 1 remains in place whether or not Part 2 – the local sites plan – is completed.  She recommended approval of the recommendations and they were agreed by consensus.

RESOLVED: to approve the Oxfordshire Minerals and Waste Development Scheme (Tenth Revision) 2020 at Annex 1, in order to have effect from 17 March 2020 and to delegate final detailed amendment and editing to the Corporate Director of Place and Growth in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Environment.