Report

The Woodsmith Project - S73 Project Amendments: Appendix 3 Statutory Development Plan

• Chapter 17: Facilitating the Sustainable Use of Minerals sets out the importance of minerals to provide the infrastructure, buildings, energy and goods that the country needs. This Chapter states that when determining planning applications, great weight should be given to the benefits of mineral extraction, including to the economy. When determining planning applications, paragraph 224 requires local planning authorities to (among other things): “Ensure that there are no unacceptable adverse impacts on the natural and historic environment, human health or aviation safety, and take into account the cumulative effect of multiple impacts from individual sites and / or from a number of sites in a locality”; and “Ensure that any unavoidable noise, dust and particle emissions and any blasting vibrations are controlled, mitigated or removed at source, and establish appropriate noise limits for extraction in proximity to noise sensitive properties.” Annex 2 (‘Glossary’) of the NPPF includes a definition of the term ‘minerals resources of local and national importance’. This lists a series of minerals which are necessary to meet societies needs of which polyhalite is referenced.

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Planning Practice Guidance (‘PPG’)

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The PPG was published in March 2014 and includes guidance on planning for mineral extraction in plan making and the application process. With regards to developments linked to minerals, the PPG reiterates the NPPF guidance by confirming potash (and therefore Polyhalite) as being a mineral of national importance (paragraph 221, reference ID: 27-221- 20140306).

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Specifically, the guidance defines Potash as an ‘Industrial Mineral’ that is necessary to support industrial and manufacturing processes and other non-aggregate uses.

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The PPG confirms that in relation to the interface between planning and other regulatory regimes, the focus of the planning system should be on whether the development itself an acceptable use of the land is, and the impacts of those uses, rather than any control processes, health and safety issues or emissions themselves where these are subject to approval under regimes. Mineral planning authorities should assume that these non- planning regimes will operate effectively. The environmental issues that mineral planning authorities should address is provided in paragraph 13 (ID ref. 27-013-20140306) and detailed further in subsequent paragraphs.

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National Design Guide

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The National Design Guide (‘NDG’) was adopted in January 2021 and addresses the question of how well-designed places are recognised, by outlining and illustrating the Government’s priorities for well-designed places in the form of ten characteristics. These ten characteristics are as follows:

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