Countryside campaigners at the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) [1] fear the Government’s long-awaited planning policy for minerals, published today (Monday), is not up to the job of conserving minerals – or of conserving the countryside within environmental limits.

Commenting on Minerals Policy Statement 1: Planning and Minerals (MPS1) published by the Department of Communities and Local Government, Campaigner Andrea Davies commented:

‘The Government has avoided tackling the conflict between the environmental limits on what quantities of aggregates (sand, gravel and crushed rock) England’s countryside can provide and its growth agenda – for massive house and road building.’

CPRE finds that the new mineral planning policy contains sounder policies on conserving and safeguarding minerals than the policy it replaces.[2]

It also acknowledges environmental limits which will be assessed by sustainability appraisal.  It is a more joined up piece of policy, which aims for clearer integration with legislation for sustainable construction, waste management and flooding.

But other than recourse to the untested sustainability appraisal tool, objectives for conserving minerals are not backed by new requirements on the minerals industry or practical advice to the local councils who will make planning decisions on proposals for mineral extraction.

Worst of all, the supply of aggregates will continue in the same predict-and-provide manner as under the previous planning regime. Under MPS1, there will continue to be ‘landbanks’ guaranteeing ready stocks of planning permissions to extract aggregates by means of permitted reserves for between seven and ten years.[3]

CPRE has long advocated the alternative plan-monitor-manage method, in order to tie aggregates supply more closely to what the local environment can absorb. Using the ‘productive capacity’ of currently worked minerals sites, whose lives can often be extended without planning permission, has been the key measure advocated by CPRE. The Practice Guide accompanying the new MPS1 appears dismissive of this approach.

‘For the Government to recognise that there are environmental limits without changing its predict-and-provide patterns of minerals supply, or rethinking the demand created by its growth agenda, makes a nonsense of its commitment to sustainable development.’

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NOTES FOR EDITORS

1. CPRE, the Campaign to Protect Rural England, is a charity which promotes the beauty, tranquillity and diversity of rural England. We advocate positive solutions for the long-term future of the countryside. Founded in 1926, we have 60,000 supporters and a branch in every county. President: Sir Max Hastings. Patron: Her Majesty The Queen.

2. The new policy replaces Minerals Planning Guidance 1, issued in 1996.

3. See Out of Control: Tackling the problem of aggregate minerals landbanks, published by CPRE, 2001.