GM Joint Minerals Plan Consultations
Minerals Plan - Submission and Examination
The Minerals Plan was submitted to the Secretary of State on Friday 11th November 2011. Other relevant documents submitted alongside the Minerals Plan included the following:
- The Sustainability Appraisal Report
- Habitats Regulations Assessment
- Equalities Impact Assessment
- Statement of Consultation
- Summary of Representations received at Publication stage
- Schedule of Proposed Minor Changes to the published DPD
- Amendments to the adopted Proposals Maps in Greater Manchester
- Various evidence base documents.
The Secretary of State appointed an independent Inspector to oversee the Examination into the soundness of the Minerals Plan, and Examination Hearing sessions took place on Wednesday 22nd and Thursday 23rd February 2012.
The Hearing sessions were adjourned on 23rd February to allow public consultation on a number of modifications to the Submitted Plan. This consultation was held between Friday 3rd August and Friday 14th September 2012. The Examination Hearing sessions reconvened for one day on 21st November 2012.
Minerals Plan - Publication of plan for consultation
This was the fifth and final consultation as part of the preparation of a Minerals Plan for Greater Manchester. The consultation report set out the final approach to minerals planning in Greater Manchester, including the final strategic policies to guide future mineral development and Areas of Search for mineral extraction. This consultation commenced on Friday 22nd July for six weeks until Friday 2nd September 2011.
The intention of publishing the Minerals Plan was to allow representations to be made in connection with issues of soundness (i.e. whether the Minerals Plan is justified, whether it is effective and whether it is consistent with national policy) and legal compliance only.
The Planning Inspectorate issued guidance entitled 'Local Development Frameworks - Examining Development Plan Documents: Procedural Guidance' (August 2009). In the Annex to this document (page 42) the guidance provides advice on the scope and content of representations which could be made during this final consultation on the Minerals Plan. This document can be found on the Planning Portal website.
Minerals Plan: Preferred Approach Consultation - October/November 2010
This was the fourth consultation as part of the preparation of a Minerals Plan for Greater Manchester. The consultation report outlined the Preferred Approach to minerals planning in Greater Manchester, including the preferred policies and a range of preferred locations for mineral development in the future. The report is available to view online at www.gmmineralsplan.co.uk.
Consultation on the report sought views on the range of preferred policies and preferred allocations including: specific sites; preferred areas; and Areas of Search. Comments were welcomed between Friday 15th October and Friday 26th November 2010.
Defining Mineral Safeguarding Areas in GM Consultation - August 2010
This consultation examined options for defining Mineral Safeguarding Areas for mineral resources across Greater Manchester. The Report was made available online for comment, and at Access Trafford Offices throughout the Borough, from Friday 6th August 2010 and Friday 27th August 2010.
A report on the outcomes from this consultation is available from the GM Minerals Plan website, and this was used to inform the Preferred Approach Report.
Issues and Options Consultation
This consultation examined the Issues and Options surrounding minerals in Greater Manchester. The Issues and Options Report was made available online, and at Access Trafford Offices throughout the Borough, from 17th February until 31st March 2010.
Evidence Base and SA Consultation
Preparation of the Minerals Plan commenced in November 2009. The first stage of consultation focused on evidence base information and the Scoping Report for Sustainability Appraisal. The outcomes from this initial stage are available from the GM Minerals Plan website.