WAG Minister gets tough with mineral nimby Powys
Powys County Council is failing to take into account the national need for crushed rock and sand and gravel across Wales and has to adjust its Unitary Development Plan (UDP) and step into line, according to Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) Minister for the Environment, Sustainability and Housing, Jane Davidson.
She has written to Powys over its “…failure to include mineral safeguards in development plans” and issued a direction for it to stop “…failing to take into account the national need for aggregates”.
Powys is not the first authority the WAG has had to talk tough to over the safeguarding of minerals and the need to adopt a bigger picture. Caerphilly County Borough Council, Vale of Glamorgan Council, Bridgend County Borough Council, Ceredigion County Council, and the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority have all received warning shots over nimbyism.
To date, only the Vale of Glamorgan Council and Bridgend County Borough Council have amended their UDPs sufficiently to adopt them. There has been no resolution over minerals issues in the remaining three councils, leaving a big question mark over applications for consents.
In the letter sent to the acting chief planning officer of Powys Council issuing the direction to modify its UDP under Section 17 (1) of the 1990 Town and Country Planning Act, Davidson says she regrets having to intervene but says that all authorities were told of their responsibilities.
She writes: “The Welsh Assembly Government raised objections on national minerals policy issues at various stages of the plan making process. The representations reflect long standing requirements clearly identified in published Welsh Assembly Government Policy designed to overcome significant concerns regarding the protection of strategic mineral resources for future generations.”
High polished stone value (PSV) hard rock for national road-building needs located north of Garth in Powys is one area highlighted by Davidson. This is in response to Powys’ total removal of the section on safeguarding the material in its proposed modifications to the UDP.
Another issue was sand and gravel: “The Council should include a policy to identify safeguarding areas for 'sand and gravel' resources and show these on the Proposals Map to prevent conflicting development,” she wrote.
The issuing of the direction means that Powys County Council is not now permitted to adopt their UDP – which sets out future planning guidelines in the area – until Ministers are satisfied that modifications have been made.
