RSS East Of England Plan - Broads Authority

East of England Plan 79
Section 12
Minerals
12.1 The Region has a variety of mineral assets, notably land-won sand and gravel for construction (aggregates) and industry
(silica sand) and rock, including limestone, sandstone, chalk and clay. They are a finite resource and their exploitation is
an important part of the regional economy. The East of England is also the point of entry for marine dredged aggregates,
crushed rock from the Midlands and South West, and oil and gas by sea and pipeline. There is some export of minerals
mainly for construction use in London and elsewhere. The main alternative source of aggregates is recycled construction
demolition material.
12.2 National policy is to ensure that there is an adequate supply of minerals to meet industry’s needs, but this must pay full
regard to sustainable development objectives including the protection of environmental assets. The aim is to move
towards a more sustainable approach in the use of mineral resources with less reliance on primary aggregates and
increased substitution with recycled construction and demolition waste and other secondary aggregates, as well as
through reducing waste in construction. However, there will continue to be a need for primary minerals, which can only be
worked where they occur. While extraction can have significant environmental impacts, there will usually be opportunities
as part of site restoration for biodiversity enhancement such as creation of Biodiversity Action Plan priority habitats (Policy
ENV3) and recreational facilities as part of green infrastructure (Policies SS8 and ENV1).
12.3 Minerals planning policy statements, accompanying guidance and other relevant national policies provide the main
strategic framework for minerals planning authorities to prepare Development Plan Documents. Policy M1 completes the
strategic framework by providing for an adequate supply of minerals and apportioning the supply of land won aggregates.
It draws on revised national and regional guidelines for aggregates provision in England 2001-2016 published in 2003 and
technical work by the Regional Assembly on apportionment between mineral planning authority areas. Figures for 2017
onwards, and any adjustments required in response to monitoring, should be provided through the review of the RSS. In
the interim, those preparing minerals Development Plan Documents should maintain supply for the foreseeable future by
projecting the annual guideline figure used during the period 2011-2016 forward i.e. as a ‘flat line’ to the end of the relevant
plan period.
12.4 The review of RSS should also consider inclusion of figures for other significant minerals, such as silica sand, and for
alternative aggregates, especially recycled construction waste.