Report

The Woodsmith Project - S73 Project Amendments : Planning Statement

Planning Policy Context

5.0

Section 38(6) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 requires that planning applications (including county matter minerals applications) are determined in accordance with the Statutory Development Plan, unless material considerations indicate otherwise. Notwithstanding the adoption of the North York Moors Local Plan in 2020 and the Redcar and Cleveland Local Plan in 2018, it is considered that the overall thrust of planning policy - against which the revised scheme should be considered - remains fundamentally unchanged from that which directed the previous decisions of NYMNPA and RCBC. Given that a S73 application involves the issuing of a new planning permission for the scheme, it remains the case that the pre-eminent policy considerations for the application relate to the environmental and landscape effects of the scheme, with the acceptability of the overall principle of development – including in respect of the Major Development Test (‘MDT’) for those elements of the scheme within the National Park - remaining unchanged. The proposed amendments will therefore be assessed against the prevailing development plan policies of relevance, as well as other material considerations, again acknowledging that this policy context remains fundamentally unchanged from that which was in place at the time the original decisions were made. A summary of relevant planning policy and guidance that is material to the consideration of this planning application is set out below. A more comprehensive overview is provided in Appendix 3.

5.1

5.2

5.3

5.4

Statutory Development Plan

Given the cross-boundary nature of this application, the Development Plan comprises a combination of NYMNPA and RCBC policy documents.

5.5

The Statutory Development Plan in respect of those parts of the proposals which fall within the administrative boundary of the North York Moors National Park are as follows:

5.6

• North York Moors Local Plan (2020), including policies map (July 2020); and

• Minerals and Waste Joint Plan (March 2022).

The Statutory Development Plan in respect of those parts of the proposals which fall within the administrative boundary of Redcar and Cleveland are as follows:

5.7

• Redcar and Cleveland Local Plan (adopted May 2018);

• Redcar and Cleveland Local Plan Policies Map (adopted 2018); and

• Tees Valley Joint Minerals and Waste Development Plan Documents (adopted September 2011).

Other Material Considerations

National Guidance

The following national planning policy documents are considered relevant and material in the determination of the planning application:

5.8

Pg 23