NPPF M1: Planning for a sufficient supply of minerals

M1: Planning for a sufficient supply of minerals 1. The development plan should provide for a sufficient and timely supply of minerals of national and local importance. 2. This means that in relation to aggregate minerals, the development plan should: a. Use the Local Aggregate Assessment, the advice of the Aggregate Working Parties and the National Aggregate Co-ordinating Group as appropriate, and any published National and Sub National Guidelines on future supply, to identify the provision needed in the plan area35. The Local Aggregate Assessment should be prepared annually by the mineral planning authority, either individually or jointly, to forecast future demand, based on a rolling average of ten years’ sales data and other relevant local information and an assessment of all supply options (including marine dredged, secondary and recycled sources); b. Allocate sites and/or identify preferred areas to maintain this provision, including landbanks of at least seven years for sand and gravel and at least ten years for crushed rock (longer periods may be appropriate to take account of the need to supply a range of types of aggregates, locations of permitted reserves relative to markets, and the productive capacity of permitted sites); c. Calculate and maintain separate landbanks for any aggregate materials of a specific type or quality which have a distinct and separate market; and d. Ensure that large landbanks bound up in very few sites do not stifle competition. 3. In relation to industrial minerals, the development plan should: a. Use evidence of existing site capacities and demand to identify the level of provision needed to maintain a continuing level of supply for their use in industrial and manufacturing processes; and through cooperation with neighbouring and more distant authorities, identify how these requirements can be met through the allocation of sites and/or identification of preferred areas, taking into account the distribution of industrial minerals deposits; b. Maintain reserves of: The assessment of the provision needed for aggregate and industrial minerals may, where appropriate, be undertaken and set out through the preparation of spatial development strategies. 51 i. At least 10 years for individual silica sand sites; ii. At least 15 years for silica sand sites where significant new capital is required, and for cement primary (chalk and limestone) and secondary (clay and shale) materials to maintain an existing plant; and iii. At least 25 years for brick clay, and for cement primary and secondary materials where this is needed to support a new kiln. c. Take account of the need for the provision of brick clay from a number of different sources to enable appropriate blends to be made. 4. In relation to oil and gas, the development plan should distinguish between, and plan for, the three phases of development (exploration, appraisal and production) within licensed areas. The development plan should not identify new sites or extensions to existing sites outside licensed areas. 5. The development plan should not identify new sites or extensions to existing sites for peat or coal extraction. 6. Relevant development plan policies should take account of the contribution that substitute or secondary and recycled materials and minerals waste can make to supply, in preference to the extraction of primary materials, whilst aiming to source minerals supplies indigenously. Where further extraction is necessary, landbanks of non-energy minerals should so far as practical be maintained through sites which lie outside National Parks, the Broads, National Landscapes and designated heritage assets, although the identification of sites or preferred areas in development plans should also reflect that minerals can only be worked where they are found.