Agenda item

The purpose of this report is to advise Members of the current position with regard to the progress of the Minerals and Waste Joint Plan for North Yorkshire, York and North York Moors and to seek approval in respect of the Issues and Options consultation documents (attached at Annex A) for the purposes of public consultation.

Members considered a report which advised them of the current position with regard to progress on the Minerals and Waste Joint Plan for North Yorkshire, York and North York Moor. The report sought approval in respect of the Issues and Options consultation documents (attached at Annex A to the agenda) for the purposes of consultation.

Officers outlined the report and advised that the Council had a statutory duty to produce a waste and minerals plan and that the best option for York was a joint plan, as it would be unusual for a Unitary Authority of York’s size to produce a plan in isolation. The plan is at the Issues and Options stage with the Preferred Options consultation due to commence in October 2014. Adoption of the completed plan was expected in late 2015. The document will influence strategic waste and mineral policies in the Local Plan.

Officers then drew Members’ attention to the Schedule of Changes which was circulated prior to the meeting (attached to the online agenda for information). Members had the following queries on the schedule:

·        Page 188, figure 15 Locations of Rail Infrastructure – had all rail network branch lines been considered for use in the transportation of minerals. In particular the branch lines in the North York Moors area that connect to the North East. Officers confirmed that such branch lines would be used where appropriate and the text would be amended accordingly.

·        The Chair drew Members attention to Page 210 and the additional important Option 3 to provide a more flexible approach to Waste Development in the Green Belt.

Councillor D’Agorne had submitted a number of comments on behalf of the Green Party prior to the meeting and Officers circulated a schedule of responses (both documents attached to the online agenda for information). Members then made the following comments:

·        Page 68 paragraph 5.17 – Sand and Gravel provision – queried if the figures based on an average 10 year period using traditional building methods and had Officers taken into account that there is a move away from using brick to using less aggregate materials. Officers confirmed that some wording could be added to reflect the use of growth figures and that contemporary building techniques need to be taken into account.

·        Pages 121-124 – In relation to shale gas, Members asked that the document be amended to give more context in relation to Government policy on the issue to make it clear that there are limitations to what the Council can do. It was suggested that a summary at the beginning of the document or seperately may be useful. Officers agreed to look into this to make the document more accessible.

·        Page 123 Option 2 – some members did not agree with the wording of option 2 and suggested that it could be re-worded to make it clearer. Officers agreed to look at this.

Members then had some other points on the document:

·        Page 155 paragraph 6.26 – The North Yorkshire sub-region is a considerable area and Members asked if the extra housing forecast to be built in future years had been taken into account. Officers confirmed that there was a study which underlies the figures and they were confident they were robust but this could be checked.

·        Page 171 paragraph 6.69 – Low Level (Non-Nuclear) Radioactive Waste – Members queried if scientific growth in this area had been taken into account. Officers confirmed this would be taken into account.

·        In relation to the cover report, Members asked if the reference to the 3 Minerals and Waste sites for York meant that if accepted, these would be the only sites accepted into the plan. Officers confirmed that the sites had been taken from the complete list at page 245 and that further sites for York could be added while work on the plan is ongoing. However, once the plan was adopted, strong justification for adding further sites would be required.

·        A member asked how water is removed from fracking sites. Officers agreed to explore this further.

·        It was also questioned whether horizontal drilling outside of York boundaries could travel underground into York. Again, officers agreed to explore this.

Attached to these minutes is a revised schedule containing all the detailed proposed changes, including those agreed at the meeting.

Resolved:           In accordance with Option One, the Local Plan Working Group recommended the Cabinet Member to:

                                                     i.        Note the current position of the Minerals and Waste Joint Plan;

                                                    ii.        To approve the Joint Minerals and Waste Issues and Options consultation plan as amended by the two Schedule of Changes, subject to the recommendations of the local plan working group and subject to feedback from the other joint partners;

                                                   iii.        To approve and necessary and associated documents for the purposes of public consultation; and

                                                  iv.        To make any appropriate incidental changes arising from point (ii) above or minor changes.

Reason:              So that the Plan can progress to public consultation.