Agenda item

(Time: 3.43pm to 3.48pm)

(Councillor Jerry Patterson declared a personal interest in this item and in accordance with Standing Order 34 he remained in the meeting during its consideration.) 

The Executive received and considered report 55/08 of the Deputy Director (Planning and Community Strategy).  In its report on the South East Plan the Panel had recommended that the method of calculating the amount of aggregates to be extracted in the South East should be based more on likely demand rather than past sales.  The South East England Regional Assembly (SEERA) was consulting all councils on three options for calculating the distribution across the region. 

The South East Plan formed part of the Development Plan for the Vale.  The part of the South East Plan relating to aggregates was administered by the County Council as the minerals planning authority.  However, changes to it were a matter for the Vale’s Executive.  Views on the options were to be submitted by 8 August 2008. 

The three options for calculating the demand for aggregates and how they should be apportioned were:

1              a ‘demand’ option based mainly on the quantity of houses to be built in an area;

2              an ‘Environmental’ option based on the level of national designations in an area, i.e. the highest weighting would be given to avoiding areas of greatest conservation and landscape importance; and

3              a ‘demand and resources’ option based on using both house building and international nature designations. 

The areas where minerals could be extracted in the Vale were mostly unaffected by national designations such as those based on landscapes, and there were few international designations in the District.  The Executive considered that the ‘demand’ option would therefore be the most appropriate for the Vale as it led to the lowest contribution from Oxfordshire for combined sand and gravel, compared to the ‘environmental’ option.  Further, it was considered that the demand option tied future minerals working more closely to the expected demand from house-building in an area, which was the prime determinant for aggregate production.  It would also minimise the distances over which these bulky goods had to be transported and thereby would reduce carbon emissions. 

Members were also asked whether there should be separate figures for sharp sand and gravel and for soft sand.  It was considered that this would be a more rational approach as they were two different materials serving different markets: soft sand was mainly used for mortar and sharp sand and gravel mainly for concrete. 

Policy M3 in the Draft South East Plan set out the amount of minerals to be derived from each sub-area and the justification for the figures. The consultation asked whether any change to the wording was required.  Members considered that there was no perceivable benefit of any changes other than those required by a new basis for apportionment. 

It was noted that the South East England Regional Assembly would identify a preferred option and draft an amendment to the policy.  This was likely to be submitted to the Government in December 2008.  There would then be further public consultation, possibly followed by an Examination in Public.  It was expected that the policy would be adopted in late 2009.

RESOLVED

that the following response be made to the South East England Regional Assembly (SEERA) regarding the method of calculating the amount of aggregates to be extracted in the South East:

(i)                 that the ‘Demand’ option is supported as it is the most appropriate for the Vale and would reduce the proportion of aggregates to be taken in Oxfordshire;

(ii)               that the concept of separate figures at a regional level for soft sand and sharp sand and gravel is supported as this is a more rational approach, as the materials serve different markets; and

(iii)             that no further change in wording in the South East Plan is required apart from to reflect the new method of apportionment.