Policy information sourced from the Essex Minerals Local Plan

S2 Strategic Priorities for Minerals Development

The strategic priorities for minerals development are focused primarily on meeting the mineral supply needs of Essex whilst achieving sustainable development. The strategy will promote this by:

  1. Ensuring minerals development makes a contribution towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions, is resilient and can demonstrate adaptation to the impacts of climatic change,
  2. Ensuring there are no significant adverse impacts arising from proposed minerals development for public health and safety, amenity, quality of life of nearby communities, and the environment,
  3. Reducing the quantity of minerals used and waste generated through appropriate design and procurement, good practices and encouraging the re-use and the recycling of construction materials containing minerals,
  4. Improving access to, and the quality and quantity of recycled/ secondary aggregates, by developing and safeguarding a well distributed County-wide network of strategic and non-strategic aggregate recycling sites,
  5. Safeguarding mineral resources of national and local importance, mineral transhipment sites, Strategic Aggregate Recycling facilities and coated roadstone plants, so that non-minerals development does not sterilise or compromise mineral resources and mineral supply facilities,
  6. Making planned provision through Preferred and Reserve Site allocations for a steady and adequate supply of aggregates and industrial minerals to meet identified national and local mineral needs in Essex during the plan-period whilst maintaining landbanks at appropriate levels,
  7. Providing for the best possible geographic dispersal of sand and gravel across the County to support key areas of growth and development, infrastructure projects and to minimise mineral miles,
  8. Ensuring progressive phased working and the high quality restoration of mineral extraction developments so as to:
    • significantly reduce reliance upon the use of landfill materials and,
    • provide beneficial after-use(s) that secure long lasting community and environmental benefits, including biodiversity, and,
    • protect the best and most versatile agricultural land.
  9. Maintaining and safeguarding transhipment sites within the County to provide appropriate facilities for the importation and exportation of minerals.

For more information please see Essex Minerals Local Plan