1 Introduction.


The County Durham Minerals Local Plan.

1.1 The County Durham Minerals Local Plan sets out the detailed local planning policies and proposals that will guide future mineral development within County Durham. When adopted it will provide the framework for minerals planning throughout the County in the period to 2006.

Purpose of the Plan.

1.2 County Durham possesses a range of mineral resources, some of which are of regional or national importance.  Minerals contribute to the local economy through direct employment and as essential raw materials for industry and for the construction and maintenance of developments such as houses, schools, factories, railways and roads.  Their extraction can, however, cause major disturbance to people's living conditions and the wider environment.

1.3 The purpose of the Minerals Local Plan is to strike the most acceptable balance between the requirement for minerals and environmental protection.  In doing this it takes account of the need for minerals, the likely impact of working upon different areas and the background provided by national, regional and Structure Plan policy.  Detailed policies and allocations are proposed which will provide the framework by which planning applications for mineral working can be assessed, thereby giving a degree of confidence to residents, the industry and other interested parties as to how proposals for minerals working will be assessed in the future.  When adopted the Minerals Local Plan will replace the minerals element of the existing Magnesian Limestone Escarpment (Minerals and Landscape Restoration) Local Plan.

1.4 The Minerals Local Plan operates within the context for the determination of planning applications as set by the Town and Country Planning Acts.  Section 70(2) of the 1990 Act requires the decision maker to have regard to the development plan (of which the Minerals Local Plan forms a part, together with the Structure Plan and other local plans), so far as it is relevant to the application, and to any other material considerations.  Where the development plan is material to the proposal, Section 54a requires a planning application to be determined in accordance with the plan, unless material considerations indicate otherwise.

The Development Plan.

1.5 The Minerals Local Plan, prepared by the County Council, will, when adopted,  be only one of a number of planning documents which together provide the Development Plan for the County.  Other relevant plans are:

  • the County Durham Structure Plan.  This is prepared by the County Council and provides the broad, strategic framework for planning in the County, setting out the overall principles for the Minerals Local Plan and other local plans;
  • the County Durham Waste Disposal Local Plan.  This will be superseded in due course by a new County-wide waste local plan prepared by the County Council;
  • district wide local plans.  These are prepared by District Councils and provide detailed policies and proposals on a district basis for development other than minerals or waste disposal (housing, industry, open space etc);
  • other adopted plans.  Relevant provisions in other adopted plans will remain in force only until such time as they are replaced by local plans as above.

1.6 Taken together these will provide a comprehensive framework for land use planning within the County.  Although the Minerals Local Plan will be the most detailed plan in relation to mineral working reference may also have to be made to other parts of the Development Plan.  The different parts of the Development Plan should normally be consistent with each other but, in the unlikely event of any conflict, legislation requires that the provisions of the most recently adopted local plan will prevail.

Monitoring and Review.

1.7 The Plan will cover the period up to 2006.  Although most of the policies will remain relevant throughout this period, and even beyond, regular monitoring and review will ensure that its provisions remain up to date.  Where necessary, formal alterations may be adopted before the end of the Plan period.

Environmental Appraisal.

1.8 The policies and proposals of the Minerals Local Plan have been subject to environmental appraisal during their preparation and revised as necessary. The Environmental Appraisals of both the Consultation Draft and Deposit Minerals Local Plan are available on request.