Community engagement and minerals and waste development in

FAQ- Community engagement and minerals and waste development in Hampshire (January 2014
v2)
Community engagement and minerals and waste development in Hampshire
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
January 2014 (Version 2)
This FAQ document addresses some FAQs associated with community engagement and minerals
and waste development in Hampshire. It covers issues relating to the following areas:
'How can communities get involved in the planning process?'
'Community involvement in plan-making'
'Current planning policy in Hampshire'
'Community involvement in planning applications'
'Statement of Community Involvement'
'Where can I find out more information?'
(1)
This FAQ document has been prepared by the Hampshire Authorities .
All information contained in this FAQ is based on information available to the Hampshire Authorities
at the time of its publication (January 2014). This FAQ will be updated as required if new
information emerges or if the Hampshire Authorities consider there to be a need to update or
provide clarification.
How can communities get involved in the planning process?
1) How can communities get involved in the planning process?
Local communities have an opportunity to get involved in the planning process through making
representations on plan making (see question 2) or on planning applications for minerals, waste or
County Council developments (see question 3).
Getting local communities involved in the planning process is a Government priority.
1
The Hampshire Authorities are comprised of Hampshire County Council, Portsmouth City Council, Southampton City Council, the New
Forest National Park Authority and the South Downs National Park Authority who have worked in partnership to produce the Hampshire
Minerals and Waste Plan
1
2
FAQ- Community engagement and minerals and waste development in Hampshire (January 2014
v2)
The local community in relation to minerals, waste and county council developments includes
individuals from a local area which have an interest including interest groups, voluntary and community
groups, residents groups / associations, actions groups, businesses, district / parish / town councils
and landowners / agents, statutory bodies.
Community involvement is considered in more detail in the Hampshire Statement of Community
Involvement (see question 6).
Community involvement in plan-making
2) How can local communities inform plan preparation?
Community involvement should be at the heart of plan-making. It provides the opportunity for interested
parties to comment on issue, options and policy development as plans are emerging (before they
are adopted).
The Statement of Community Involvement sets out the parameters for local community involvement
in plan-making (see question 7) in more detail.
3) How can communities get involved in further plan preparation?
If you are not already an existing consultee in the plan making process, you can request to be added
to the consultation database for any further plan work. A request can be made via the contact details
set out in 'Where can I find out more information?'.
Current planning policy in Hampshire
4) Where is community engagement considered within the Hampshire Minerals & Waste Plan
(HMWP)?
Community engagement is considered in both the supporting text for Policy 1 (Sustainable minerals
and waste development) and in Policy 14 (Community benefits) along with its associated supporting
text.
Community involvement in planning applications
5) How can communities get involved in the planning application process?
A more detailed description of how communities can be involved in all parts of the planning and
development
can
be
found
in
the
Statement
of
Community
Involvement
(http://www.hants.gov.uk/community_involvement.pdf) (see question 8).
New applications received by Hampshire County Council (HCC) will open for public consultation for
21 days from the date of publication. Notices will be placed in local newspapers, placed on site, sent
to local district/parish councils to place on notice boards (or other appropriate places) as well as
councils in adjacent areas where the site is bordering their area or is likely to have an impact.
Neighbour notices will also be sent to all residences within 50 metres of the site in urban areas, or
within 100 metres in a rural area. All applications and supporting documents will be available to review
on the County Planning website (www.hants.gov.uk/county-planning).
FAQ- Community engagement and minerals and waste development in Hampshire (January 2014
v2)
Comments on planning applications can be made in writing and sent via post, or as an email to
[email protected]. Alternatively, comments on applications open for consultation can be
submitted through the HCC County Planning website (see weblink above).
Usually 21 days is given from the date the application is published for the public to comment, unless
arrangements have been made to accept late submissions or the application has been subject to an
Environmental Impact Assessment.
Comments may support or object to the application, but a name and postal address must be supplied
in order to make a submission. Comments will be kept with the application and viewable by both the
public and the applicant.
Non-contentious applications (i.e. those which do not have substantial or irreconcilable objections)
will be decided by the Director of Economy, Transport and Environment at HCC. Contentious
applications however will be referred to a regulatory committee to decide. If this is the case, those
members of the public who have made comments on the application will be informed and will have
the opportunity to make a deputation to the regulatory committee in person when the application is
on the agenda. Once a decision has been made, those members of the public who made
representations will be informed of this.
HCC encourages developers to consult with local communities early on in the planning process,
particularly for larger developments, so that members of the public may have an opportunity to
influence any proposals.
The Hampshire Authorities expect all operators to engage with local communities during pre-application
(2)
discussions on major applications for minerals and waste development.
6) How can communities be involved once a site has planning permission?
Hampshire County Council encourages the formation of local Liaison Panels for major or controversial
sites. These provide a forum for discussing operational issues between the operator, HCC (as Planning
Authority) and representatives of the local community.
7) What are Liaison Panels?
Hampshire already has a number of Liaison Panels which allow local communities to be actively
involved in the construction phase, operation and restoration and after-use of mineral and waste
facilities (mineral extraction and landfill sites only). The Hampshire Authorities almost always expect
all ‘major’ minerals and waste developments, to be accompanied by a Liaison Panel. The panels
also ensure continued communication and co-operation between Hampshire Authorities, local
communities (including neighbouring communities), the operator, the relevant Hampshire local
authority and other interested parties following planning permission being granted for minerals and
waste developments. Liaison Panels should be managed by the relevant operator of a site. Other
minor minerals and waste developments may also benefit from the establishment of Liaison Panels,
and these may be set up as and when required.
2
Major minerals and waste development (except in relation to Policy 4 – Protection of the designated landscape) - All mineral extraction, landfill
and hazardous / low level radioactive facilities, as well as developments occupying at least a hectare of land and/or have a throughput of 50,000
tonnes per annum (tpa).
3
4
FAQ- Community engagement and minerals and waste development in Hampshire (January 2014
v2)
The specific makeup of Liaison Panels varies according to the local situation, but potential members
of a Panel might include the operator of the relevant facility, the Environment Agency, a representative
of the District Council and the Parish Council, a Residents Association representative and a
representative or representatives of residents directly affected by the development.
Statement of Community Involvement
8) What is a Statement of Community Involvement and what is its purpose?
The SCI is a statement which forms the basis of procedures for community engagement and
involvement in preparing plans or determining planning applications.
(3)
Each Hampshire Authority has its own Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) .
Hampshire County Council is in the process of revising its SCI. A public consultation will commence
on this from 13 January 2014 for 6 weeks. More information on the SCI consultation is available on
the County Planning website - www.hants.gov.uk/county-planning.
Where can I find out more information?
If you wish to discuss the content of this FAQ, please contact Hampshire County Council:
Website: www.hants.gov.uk/county-planning
By email: [email protected]
By telephone: 0845 6035634 (Hantsdirect)
In writing: County Planning, Economy, Transport and Environment Department, Hampshire
County Council, The Castle, Winchester, Hampshire. SO23 8UD.
The Hampshire Authorities have also produced a number of other FAQs on minerals and waste
issues. These are available via the County Planning website (see above) and include FAQs on the
following issues:
FAQs on other minerals and waste issues published by the Hampshire Authorities
FAQ
3
Aggregate wharves and rail depots
Minerals and waste development and climate change
Chalk extraction in Hampshire
Minerals and waste development and the local environment,
community and economy
Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) in Hampshire
Non-hazardous waste landfill in Hampshire
Each Hampshire Authority which makes up the partnership has its own Statement of Community Involvement (SCI). The Hampshire County
Council, Southampton City Council and Portsmouth City Council’s SCIs were adopted in 2006, the New Forest National Park SCI in 2007 and
the South Downs National Park in 2011.
FAQ- Community engagement and minerals and waste development in Hampshire (January 2014
v2)
FAQ
Clay extraction in Hampshire
Onshore oil and gas (conventional and unconventional)
development in Hampshire
Community benefits and minerals and waste development in
Hampshire
Opportunities for enhancement of the local environment,
communities and economy associated with minerals and
waste development in Hampshire
Construction, demolition and excavation waste in Hampshire
Recycled and secondary aggregates in Hampshire
Energy recovery and waste management in Hampshire
Restoration of minerals and waste development in
Hampshire
Hampshire County Council and the Planning Process
Safeguarding mineral resources and minerals and waste
infrastructure in Hampshire
Hard rock provision in Hampshire
Silica sand in Hampshire
Land-won sand and gravel extraction in Hampshire
Specialist waste management in Hampshire
Liquid waste and waste water management
Sustainable waste management in Hampshire
Minerals and waste development and areas of designation
(Nature conservation, landscape, Green Belt and Historic
heritage)
The Hampshire Minerals and Waste Plan
FAQ produced by the Hampshire Authorities (January 2014)
5