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Minerals

Volume 203: debated on Tuesday 4 February 1992

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To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the effect of the Town and Country Planning (Development Plan) Regulations 1991/2794 upon the ability of the mineral industry to supply the construction industry with the materials it needs.

The statutory duty for all mineral planning authorities to prepare a minerals local plan will provide the mineral industry with an up-to-date planning framework which will assist with the continuing supply of minerals for the construction industry in an environmentally acceptable manner. The regulations set out the detailed requirements for the preparation of minerals and other development plans.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what restraints he has placed upon district authorities to prevent them either deferring or overriding county mineral and waste disposal plans; and what mechanism he has provided for reconciling the conflict between county and district authorities on issues of importance to the mineral industry in discharging its role as supplier of aggregates.

District local plans and minerals and waste local plans have to be in general conformity with the relevant structure plan. County planning authorities must be consulted on the preparation of district local plans and have the right to object to any policies or proposals of such plans. The Secretary of State has reserve powers to direct modification or to call in, all or part of a plan should that be necessary. The Town and Country Planning (Development Plan) Regulations 1991 provide that in the event of conflict between the provisions of a minerals or waste local plan on the one hand and a district local plan on the other, the provisions of the more recently adopted or approved plan prevail.