Guidance on production and use of LAAs

MPA and Planning Officers’ Society publish practice guidance on Local Aggregate Assessments

THE Mineral Products Association (MPA) together with the Planning Officers’ Society has produced Practice Guidance on the Production and Use of Local Aggregate Assessments (LAAs). The Guidance is intended to provide advice on what can be expected in terms of LAA style and content to mineral planning authorities, Aggregate Working Parties (AWPs) and the minerals industry.

Ken Hobden, director of mineral planning at the MPA, said: ‘Local Aggregate Assessments are a fundamental component of the mineral planning system under the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). They are important in the monitoring of aggregate sales and supply, and, crucially, provide the evidence on which future provision made in mineral plans is based.

‘Over the last two to three years, mineral planning authorities have been producing LAAs, often to different standards and degrees of consistency to what the NPPF requires. This document provides mineral planning authorities with advice on good practice in producing LAAs and guides AWPs and the minerals industry in terms of what can be expected to be included in an LAA.’

In summary, the new document highlights that LAAs should be relatively simple in style (possibly 20–30 pages long), with clear data and consistent terminology. An Executive Summary of key statistics and conclusions should be used to assist with the interpretation of LAAs and the implications for aggregates supply.

The guidance can be downloaded at: www.mineralproducts.org/documents/LAA_Guidance.pdf