Policy information sourced from the Minerals local plan for Berkshire (Part 2)

Policy 28

The local planning authorities will normally permit the erection at mineral extraction sites or rail aggregates depots of mineral processing or manufacturing plant, or of structures ancillary to a mineral use, so long as:

  1. in the case of processing plant, the plant is required to process material extracted from the pit at which it is located, or brought into the depot by rail; and
  2. in the case of manufacturing plant,
    • the substantially greater part of the minerals used in the manufacturing process are extracted from the pit concerned, or brought into the depot by rail, and
    • the manufacturing activities at all times remain ancillary to the primary use of the site as a mineral extraction site or an aggregates importing depot, as the case may be; and
  3. in the case of ancillary development, the developement is requred and used solely in connection with the administration or servicing of the pit concerned; and
  4. in all cases, the processing, manufacturing or ancillary activities (as the case may be) could not be more satisfactorily carried out at an existing or permitted plant, or in an existing or permitted structure; and
  5. in all cases, the plant or other development is removed and the site satisfactorily restored as soon as continuous production of minerals from the site ceases, or when the use of the site as a depot for the import of aggregates by rail ceases; and
  6. in all cases, the plant or other development can be and is sited, designed, constructed and landscaped so as to minimise adverse impact on the amenities of the area and to give rise to no overriding environmental objections; and
  7. in all cases, the traffic generated by the plant or other development would not give rise to overriding environmental or other objections; and
  8. in all cases, the size, type, nature and construction of the plant or other development art appropriate to the nature and scale of the permitted mineral extraction of aggregates importing operation for which it is required or with which it is associated; and
  9. in the case of sites located in the Green Belt,
    • the development is genuinely required in association with a mineral extraction or importing activity which is itself acceptable in terms of Green Belt policy;
    • there are no alternative locations for the proposed development on land nearby which is not situated in the Green Belt;
    • all buildings and structures are located and designed to minimise their impact upon the openness of the Green Belt.

For more information please see the Minerals local plan for Berkshire (Part 2)