Background to Waste Local Plan
This page records the background evidence and information which led to the adoption of the new Waste Local Plan.
Recent news
15 March 2013 - A report| was presented to Full Council to recommend that the new Waste Local Plan be adopted. Similarly, Stoke-on-Trent City Council considered a report recommending the adoption of the new plan on 21 March 2013.
7 March 2013 - A report| was presented to the County Council's Planning Committee about the conclusions and recommendations made by the Inspector following his examination of the new plan.
4 February 2013 - The Chief Executive received a letter| from the Planning Inspectorate enclosing the Inspector’s Report of the examination into the soundness of the new plan. We notified all those involved in the examination process about the Inspector's Report which is available to view on the examination web page|. The Inspector concluded that: “with the recommended main modifications, set out in the Appendix [to his report], the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Joint Waste Local Plan satisfies the requirements of Section 20(5) of the 2004 Act and meets the criteria for soundness in the National Planning Policy Framework.”
RESPONSE TO CONSULTATION - which closed on 11 November 2012
7 responses| were received which resulted in one further Main Modification being proposed to the Planning Inspector to address the concerns of Natural England.
The Councils then wrote to the Planning Inspector on 14 January 2013| with a List of Main Modifications| asking the Inspector to recommend these modifications to the submitted Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Joint Waste Local Plan DPD to make it ‘sound’. A Post Submission Tracked Changes Version January 2013 of the Joint Waste Local Plan| was produced which incorporated the Main Modifications and the minor changes| advertised in October 2012.
NOTICE OF CONSULTATION ON PROPOSED ADDITIONAL MODIFICATIONS FOLLOWING EXAMINATION - 1 October 2012 to 11 November 2012.
As part of the process of preparing a Joint Waste Core Strategy (the Strategy) an independent Planning Inspector held an examination in public over three days in April and June 2012. As a result of that examination the County and City Councils are proposing to make additional modifications to the Strategy| and have published a tracked change version of the Strategy| and the appendices|, a Policy Map| and a Sustainability Appraisal update|. A letter was sent to the Planning Inspector on 22 October 2012|. None of the proposed additional modifications are considered to fundamentally alter the Strategy, the vision, strategic objectives or proposed outcomes. The changes to the Strategy are designed to ensure it is found ‘sound’ by the Inspector and can be adopted. The Councils and Planning Inspector will now be required to take into consideration any further representations in connection with the proposed additional modifications which raise genuine ‘soundness’ issues and legal compliance issues.
Note: as a result of the changes arising from the National Planning Policy Framework, the additional modifications include the re-naming of the Joint Waste Core Strategy to the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Joint Waste Local Plan (2010 to 2026).
In August and September 2012 Members at both the City and County Councils were asked approve the additional modifications prior to submission to the Planning Inspector. On 2 August 2012 the County Council's Planning Committee received a report and endorsed the additional modifications. The report is available as Agenda Item 7|. On 30 August 2012 the City Council's Cabinet approved the additional modifications as did the County Council's Cabinet on 19 September 2012.
The additional modifications will now be submitted to the Planning Inspector and advertised for a 6 week period from 1 October 2012 until 11 November 2012. You can send your response in by emailing the independent Programme Officer Mrs Vanessa Baughan. Mrs Baughan can be contacted on 0773 791390 or programme.officer@staffordshire.gov.uk|
Joint Waste Core Strategy examination process. On 1 December 2011, the County Council Planning Committee confirmed their support to the submission version of the Strategy, prior to Full Council approval on 8 December 2011. Stoke-on-Trent City Council also approved the submission version on 8 December 2011. On 20 January 2012, the Strategy was submitted to the Planning Inspectorate for examination in public. The submission version of the Strategy consists of the ‘Publication version’|and a Schedule of Minor Amendments|. These amendments addressed representations received at the publication representation stage (held September – November 2011). A ‘Tracked Change Version March 2012’| of the strategy was produced for the Planning Inspector which reflects the schedule of minor amendments.
The Examination into the Strategy was held on the 24 and 27 April 2012 and an additional round-up hearing session took place on 19 June 2012 (postponed from 16 May 2012 to allow for representations to be received as a result of the publication of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF)). A number of ‘soundness’ issues were raised at those hearing sessions and changes to the Strategy are deemed necessary in order for the Inspector to find the Strategy ‘sound’. The Councils have prepared additional modifications which consist of 66 ‘main’ and 71 ‘minor' modifications. The ‘main’ modifications are changes necessary so that the Strategy can be adopted. The ‘minor’ modifications are ones to correct errors and readability, which when seen together with the main modifications will not materially affect the policies in the Strategy.
Subject to Members approval, it is anticipated that the additional modifications will be submitted to the Planning Inspector in October 2012. The modifications will also be advertised for a 6 week period (October – November 2012). The Inspector's final report would then be expected at the end of November 2012. Should the Strategy be found ‘sound’, the Councils will then begin the formal adoption process. It is envisaged that adoption of the Joint Waste Core Strategy would be in spring 2013.
For further details about the Examination, including details about the Programme Officer, the examination documents and the programme, visit the Examination page www.staffordshire.gov.uk/wcs-examination|
28 April 2012: The Examination into the Waste Local Plan was held on the 24 & 27 April 2012 and the Councils are now working on main and minor modifications. We anticipate that these will be advertised in late June.
20 January 2012: The Planning Inspectorate advised that Melvyn Middleton BAECON DIPTP DIPMGT MRTPI had been appointed to conduct the Examination in Public. 20 January 2012: The Planning Inspectorate advised that Melvyn Middleton BAECON DIPTP DIPMGT MRTPI had been appointed to conduct the Examination in Public.
20 January 2012: We submitted the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Joint Waste Local Plan to the Secretary of State c/o the Planning Inspectorate.
Submitted 'Publication Document' version of the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Joint Waste Core Strategy 2010-2026| (Adobe pdf, 1.8mb)
Notice of submission 20 January 2012| (Adobe pdf, 0.9kb)
4 November 2011: The representation period inviting comments on the ‘soundness’ of the final version of the Joint Waste Local Plan closed on 4 November 2011. All representations received can be viewed on the consultation portal|.
The representations have been considered and a number of minor amendments are recommended to clarify elements of the strategy; to update the document; to correct typing errors; and for consistency with national guidance. A Schedule of Minor Amendments has been produced which was reported to 1st December 2011 Planning Committee. The Planning Committee report and Schedule of Minor Amendments can be viewed on the Planning Committee webpage|. Members of Planning Committee accepted the recommendations of the report
The majority of changes suggested by respondents have not been acted on at this stage, however as all representations received must be forwarded to the Planning Inspectorate, they may be brought up later at the examination. A report which details how all the representations received have been taken into account by the two Councils has been produced. To view the report refer to the link below:
Representations Received Report November 2011| (Adobe PDF, 0.98mb)
Approval was sought from Full Council and also Stoke-on-Trent City Council on 8 December 2011 for the Joint Waste Local Plan, the Schedule of Minor Amendments and all supporting documents to be submitted to the Secretary of State c/o the Planning Inspectorate for independent examination by a Planning Inspectorate. To view the decision from Staffordshire County Council refer to link below:
Decision notice from County Council Meeting 8 December 2011| (Adobe PDF, 0.25mb)
23 September to 4 November 2011 - Representation period for the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Joint Waste Core Strategy’ for formal pre-submission consultation under Regulation 27 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Development) (England) Regulations 2004 (as amended).
7 July 2011- Planning Committee approved the submission draft of the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Joint Waste Local Plan. For further details see the Planning Committee Agenda|. The draft document is due to be presented to Stoke-on-Trent City Council's Cabinet on 28 July 2011 and full Council on 8 September 2011. We intend to make the document available for a six week statutory period of public consultation in September 2011 when there will be an opportunity to comment on the 'soundness' of the strategy. For details of the next steps see our work programme|.
26 April 2011: The recent consultation on the revised draft Waste Local Plan| is now closed. The responses received are now being considered and will feed into the preparation of the final draft of the Strategy.
12 April 2011: Informal consultation on Revised draft policies for Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Joint Waste Local Plan| commenced until 26 April 2011.
1 October 2010: The recent consultation on the "emerging" draft Waste Local Plan| closed on 1st October 2010. The responses received are now being considered and will feed into the preparation of the final draft of the Strategy.
9 August 2010: Consultation on the draft plan| commenced until 1 October 2010.
1 July 2010: Planning Committee draft Plan report| (refer to agenda item 6).
3 June 2010:
Planning Committee update report| (refer to agenda item 9).
Issues and Options 2
In response to the requirement that the Local Plan needs to identify "broad locations" or "strategic sites" for future waste management facilities, it was necessary to gather evidence on alternative options for future sites. A second stage Issues and Options consultation was deemed necessary in preparation of a Plan that is more "place focused". Please note that the first stage Issues and Options consultation that took place in March 2007 related only to Staffordshire. The principle of a Joint Waste Local Plan with Stoke-on-Trent City Council was agreed in November 2007.
5 March 2009: Planning Committee update report|. The report contains a summary of the consultation responses (Appendix A), a list of respondents (Appendix B), a list of site submissions (Appendix C), and a plan of site submissions (Appendix D) (available (see Agenda item 86)(and 'Background' below)).
|Schedule of Comments| (32 pages).
October and November 2008: In consideration of the issues and options for the Joint Waste Local Plan, comments were invited in relation to twelve issues and fifteen questions. 40 respondents engaged with the process to make comments on the published documents and 28 site proposals were also submitted in response to the invitation for sites for future waste management facilities. For a summary profile and location map of the strategic site options submitted by the waste industry click here|.
3 July 2008: Issues and Options 2| was approved by Planning Committee for public consultation. The document provides an overview or 'spatial portrait' of waste treatment facilities throughout Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent and highlights the main drivers affecting waste planning that need to be addressed by the Waste Local Plan. It develops the locally distinctive vision, spatially specific waste site options, and develops a set of requirements and method of assessing potential site options.
Issues & Options 1
One of the first stages in preparing the Waste Local Plan was to identify the relevant issues, as well as any realistic options for tackling those issues, that needed to be addressed in the Waste Core Strategy.
December 2007: Consultants commenced their work.
November 2007: A brief was sent to consultants inviting bids to do further work to develop our understanding of the evidence base in terms of the existing provision of waste management facilities and to help determine the requirements for new waste management facilities over the next 10 to 20 years. This work required the revisions to the Regional Spatial Plan to be taken into account.
November 2007: The Planning Committee accepted the planning and financial benefits of joint working explained in a report and so Staffordshire County Council are now to prepare a joint Waste Core Strategy with Stoke-on-Trent City Council. This is the same approach that was followed with the predecessor to the Waste Local Plan, namely the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Waste Local Plan.
Report to Planning Committee - 8 November 2007|
July 2007: Planning Committee received a report on the 39 respondents who submitted 29 questionnaires in response to the issues and options consultation document. The report contains a summary of the responses (Appendix A). A more detailed schedule of the responses is available below.
Schedule of responses to the issues and options| (note: 101 pages)
The Planning Committee report also recommended a new way forward for the Waste Local Plan in response to the advice we received from the Government Office for the West Midlands (GOWM) and the recent publication of "lessons learnt" by the Planning Inspectorate (PINS). The GOWM and PINS advice suggested that the Core Strategy would need to provide a clear spatial strategy which identifies "strategic sites" and "broad locations" for future waste development. The report set out a revised programme to take the Waste Local Plan forward with this in mind.
Issues and Options report back and update on preparing the Waste Local Plan - report (12 July 2007)|||
30 March 2007: Public consultation then followed for a six week consultation period from 30 March 2007 to 11 May 2007 on the following document.
The first part of the document explains the context for waste planning in Staffordshire and describes the background to the waste management industry in the County and the main drivers which are likely to change the nature of waste management in the area in the future. The second part sets out the ten key issues which we consider need to be addressed in developing the strategy for the future and some of the alternative options available to deal with those issues.
Issues & Options for the Waste Local Plan|
March 2007: Capita Symonds prepared an issues and options document on behalf of Staffordshire County Council which was reported to Planning Committee.
Issues and Option - report (15 March 2007)|
Issues and options document (Appendix A to the report)|
Former Waste Local Plan
The former Staffordshire County Council Waste Local Plan and supporting material is available for reference on our former Waste Local Plan page.
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