Charlton – Application to designate a Neighbourhood Forum and Neighbourhood Planning Area – 2021

Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) welcome the opportunity to comment on this application.

The Minerals and Waste Planning team wish to make the following initial remarks and advisory comments;

The county council, as the Minerals and Waste Planning Authority, is responsible for producing the Minerals and Waste planning documents in line with national policy and is the determining authority for minerals and waste development.

The adopted Minerals and Waste Local Plan documents are comprised of the following:

• The Minerals Local Plan 2002-2016 (adopted March 2007)
• Waste Core Strategy & Development Management Policies Development Plan Document 2011-2026 (adopted November 2012)
• Waste Site Allocations Development Plan Document 2011-2026 (adopted July 2014)
• Employment Land Areas of Search, Supplementary Planning Document (adopted November 2015)

The adopted Minerals and Waste Local Plan documents form part of the Development Plan for the area (in addition to the adopted North Herts District Plan) and this should be made clear within the Neighbourhood Plan.

Upon reviewing the Plan area designation, it is clear that there are no waste management facilities located within the area, nor are there any Allocated Sites or Areas for waste management uses, identified within the area boundary.

According to British Geological Survey Data, there are some deposits of sand and gravel found within the Plan area. These deposits are scattered but are mostly located along the eastern boundary and towards the north of the plan area.
The county council safeguards sand and gravel under Policy 5:Mineral Sterilisation of the adopted Minerals Local Plan and responds to district and borough planning applications to ensure that deposits are not needlessly sterilised where there could be potential for extraction.
When cross referencing the proposed plan area to the proposals contained within the Proposed Submission North Herts District Local Plan, it is clear that there are no proposals for built development within the area. The plan area is designated as Green Belt and Charlton is designated as a Conservation Area. The county council, as the Minerals Planning Authority, therefore has no concern with regards to the potential sterilisation of sand and gravel within the plan area at this stage.

HCC would like to continue to be notified of updates or consultations associated with the application by Charlton Society Neighbourhood Forum for designation as a Neighbourhood Planning Forum and for a Neighbourhood Planning Area.