New minerals planning guidance for England

MINERALS Policy Statement 1: Planning and minerals (MPS1), the long-awaited framework setting out the Government’s key policies and principles for minerals planning in England, was finally published this week [Monday] by the Department for Communities and Local Government (formerly ODPM).

Comprising the overarching planning policy document for all minerals in England, MPS1 provides advice and guidance to planning authorities and the minerals industry and seeks to ensure that the need by society and the economy for minerals is managed in an integrated way against its impact on the environment and communities. The statement includes annexes on four specific types of minerals: aggregates; brick clay; natural building and roofing stone; and onshore oil and gas.

Also published with MPS1 is a Practice Guide, which sets out how the policies in the statement might best be implemented.

Commenting on its publication, Nigel Jackson, chairman of the CBI Minerals Group and executive director of the Quarry Products Association, said: ‘We welcome the release of MPS1, which updates previous mineral planning guidance and recognizes the essential contribution minerals make to the UK economy.

‘Provided the new guidance is implemented in the way it is intended the economy can continue to receive an adequate and steady supply of minerals for the next 10 years, although the longer term will still need to be addressed.’

MPS1 replaces MPG1: General considerations and the development plan system, which was published in June 1996, and together with the annex on aggregates, completes the replacement of MPG6: Guidelines for aggregates provision in England, published in 1994, which are now cancelled.