3 Policy Context.
3.1 The Waste Local Plan has not been prepared in isolation but is derived from and relates to policies at all levels.
European Context.
3.2 Concern for the environment is now a global issue, especially in relation to matters such as climate change, depletion of non-renewable resources and loss of the ozone layer. These concerns are embodied in the concept of ‘sustainability’, the interpretation of which in terms of the Plan is outlined in section 4.
3.3 International concern for both the impact of the disposal of waste, and the loss to landfill of a valuable asset has resulted in European legislation on waste management. This is delivered through a range of Directives which set out various requirements for waste management practice and provide the framework for national legislation on waste. The Waste Framework Directive first introduced the waste hierarchy (Section 4). These Directives were implemented by the Waste Management Licensing Regulations 1994. These regulations place certain responsibilities on the County Council in preparing the Waste Local Plan which require policies for suitable waste disposal sites or installations the aim of which is to ensure that waste is recovered or disposed of without endangering human health or harming the environment.
3.4 The Packaging Directive, implemented by the Packaging Regulations 1997, has set targets for the recovery and recycling of packaging materials and products. The Regulations impose certain obligations upon large businesses to reduce, over time, the amount of packaging that they use. The producer responsibility concept is due to be expanded to include batteries, end of life vehicles and waste electrical and electronic equipment.
3.5 The EU Integrated Pollution, Prevention and Control Directive will also have a major impact on waste management during the Plan period and the emerging EU Directive on Incineration of Waste will place increased levels of control on incineration plant.
The EU Landfill Directive.
3.6 Perhaps the most significant recent policy instrument on waste is the EU Landfill Directive which is now incorporated into the British regulatory system. This Directive will require substantial changes to the way waste is managed in County Durham. The main objectives of the Directive are to ensure high and consistent standards of landfill practice across the European Union, to stimulate recycling and recovery of waste, and to reduce emissions of methane (a powerful greenhouse gas). Perhaps the most significant aspect of the Directive is the required stepped reduction in the quantities of biodegradable municipal waste going to landfill. The staged targets will come into effect in 2010, 2013 and 2020 following the Government’s negotiated derogation (an agreed delay) of four years on the dates indicated in the Directive, on the basis that additional time is required to develop a range of alternative management techniques. A system of tradable permits has now been established as the means of ensuring that the targets are met. The Directive has also ended the practice of co-disposing of hazardous and non-hazardous wastes.
The EU Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive.
3.7 During the life of this Plan, a new European Directive requiring Strategic Environmental Assessments of plans and programmes being developed within Member States will come into force. It was adopted in April 2001 and will relate to all plans which are in the process of being prepared. In the UK this should be no more onerous than existing legislation, but does have a stronger emphasis on the need for environmental baseline data and the need to look at reasonable alternatives for developments within plans. UK legislation will follow and it is expected that guidance on complying with this directive will be incorporated within new guidance on sustainability appraisal of development plans in the near future.
National Context.
3.8 ‘Waste Strategy 2000’ sets out a vision of sustainable waste management in England and Wales until 2020. It offers a strategic overview of waste policy, outlines the scale of the task facing us and the tools that can be brought to bear on that challenge, and gives details of the actions stakeholders need to take to meet the vision and targets we have set ourselves. The key aims of the strategy are: to tackle the growth in waste; and, to maximise the amount we recover from waste through increased recycling, composting, and energy recovery.
3.9 Policies and proposals throughout the Plan have had regard, as appropriate, to national policy guidance set out in Planning Policy Guidance Notes (PPG’s) and Mineral Planning Policy Guidance Notes (MPG's).
3.10 PPG 10 "Planning and Waste Management", (published September 1999) sets out the general policy context and the criteria for the siting of waste facilities, it also updates existing guidance for waste management with developments in waste policy and the establishment of the Environment Agency. Consequently PPG 10 replaces various sections of PPG 23 Planning and Pollution Control relating to waste management. PPG 10 sets out four principles of waste management: the Best Practicable Environmental Option (BPEO); regional self-sufficiency; proximity principle; and, the waste hierarchy. The relationship of these principles to the Waste Local Plan is set out in Section 5, The Waste Local Plan Strategy.
3.11 Planning Policies for the Countryside are set out in PPG 7 "The Countryside: Environmental Quality and Economic and Social Development". The guidance seeks to promote greater flexibility in the re-use of rural buildings to assist farmers in setting-up new, diversified businesses which is seen as essential in achieving a competitive sustainable agricultural industry. Local Authorities are advised to take a positive approach towards farm diversification proposals, a commitment set out in the Rural White Paper. Proposals for facilities on farms will need to be determined with regard to these additional considerations.
3.12 Mineral Planning Guidance Note 7 "Reclamation of Mineral Workings" (published November 1997) sets out the contribution which reclaimed mineral sites can make to the Government’s policies for sustainable development and waste disposal. The guidance also provides some advice on the preparation of schemes of conditions for restoration, aftercare and afteruse.
3.13 PPG 22 "Renewable Energy" (published February 1993) recognises that waste can potentially play a role in contributing to renewable energy targets. The government has set a target of generating 10% of UK electricity requirements from renewable sources of energy by 2010 and an aspiration to double this by 2020.
Regional Context.
3.14 Government advice contained in PPG 11 "Regional Planning" (published October 2000) seeks to strengthen planning for waste management at the regional level, by encouraging waste management decisions to take account of the need for regional self-sufficiency and the proximity principle. Individual counties or districts cannot be considered in isolation because waste often crosses boundaries. In some circumstances, local options for the management of some types of waste may not be available. The Government wishes to see Regional Waste Strategies developed to form an integral part of Regional Planning Guidance (RPG), which should then be reflected in the more detailed policies of waste local plans. PPG 11 suggests that RPG should:
- Set regional waste management capacity and disposal targets to promote sustainable waste management, minimisation and alternatives to landfill;
- Set indicators for the measurement of progress against these targets which can be regularly monitored;
- Specify the number and capacity of the different types of waste management facilities required, identify their broad locations, supported where appropriate by a criteria based approach; and
- Assess the need for facilities to deal with special/hazardous waste in the region.
3.15 Regional Planning Guidance for the North East (RPG1) was published in November 2002. It sets the framework for development plans in the region, including the Waste Local Plan. The County Council must take into account RPG1 in preparing the Waste Local Plan and the Guidance may also be material to decisions on individual planning applications.
3.16 PPG 10 also recommends the establishment of Regional Technical Advisory Bodies (RTAB) comprising representatives from Waste Disposal Authorities, Waste Collection Authorities, the Environment Agency and the waste industry to provide specialist advice to Regional Planning Bodies on options and strategies for dealing with waste that will need to be managed in each region. The North East RTAB was established in 1999. Consultants have been appointed to assist with the development of a Regional Waste Strategy which will be incorporated into RPG for the North East at the first early review in 2002/03. Waste guidance in RPG 1 is being revised as part of the preparation of a draft Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS). RPG 1 will be replaced by the RSS. The RSS will take account of the work which has been undertaken by consultants and overseen by the North East RTAB on behalf of the North East Assembly, to develop a Regional Waste Strategy (a draft of which was published for consultation in February 2003). When finalised it is anticipated that the Regional Waste Strategy will identify regional waste arisings, set targets for waste recycling, composting, energy from waste and landfill, and provide a context for decisions on the number, size and locations of new waste facilities in the region. RPG 1 recommends that, until the North East RTAB is in a position to recommend preferred options for inclusion in RPG1, development plans should make provision for appropriate methods of waste management which will assist in achieving government targets.
Environment Agency.
3.17 The Environment Agency aims to prevent or minimise the effects of pollution on the environment. The Agency issues waste management licenses and is responsible for the enforcement of any conditions it imposes. It also has an important role in providing up to date information on waste arisings and the extent, and need for waste management and disposal facilities. It publishes this and other relevant information in reports known as Strategic Waste Management Assessments (SWMA) for each of its nine planning regions. The SWMA for the North East Region was published in 2000. The use of this data, together with data from the 1999-2000 site returns is explained in greater detail in Section 7, ‘Information on Waste’.
County Durham Structure Plan.
3.18 The County Durham Structure Plan was adopted in 1999. It provides the strategic framework for the Waste Local Plan. The Structure Plan aims to continue to ensure the safe and effective treatment and disposal of waste, both from within the County and from elsewhere, in ways that minimise the impact upon and improve the environment of the County. This will be achieved by reducing the amounts of waste produced, increasing the use of re-usable materials, recovering materials and energy from the waste stream, and seeking the positive use of landfill disposal for environmental improvement schemes and land renewal. The Plan also seeks the transport of waste in bulk by rail.
District Local Plans.
3.19 The district councils have prepared, or are in the process of preparing, local plans to cover their areas. These local plans deal with issues other than minerals and waste but will often contain policies and proposals relevant to proposals for waste management, particularly in relation to environmental issues (for example, nature conservation designations, and landscape areas). The plans also contain detailed Green Belt boundaries which are not shown in the Structure Plan.