·           To consider the Herefordshire Minerals and Waste Local Plan (MWLP) development plan document for pre-submission publication, in accordance with regulation 19 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Development) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 (as amended), prior to its consideration at Full Council on 11 December 2020; and

·           to report the recommendations of General Scrutiny Committee on 28September 2020 in relation to the MWLP; and

·           to refer the MWLP to Council, with a recommendation that, following the completion of the pre-submission publication period and consideration of duly made representations, it be submitted to the Secretary of State for independent testing, in accordance with section 20(3) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 and regulation 22 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Development) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2012.

That:

a)    that authority be delegated to the cabinet member infrastructure and transport to review the plan in light of amendments discussed at cabinet before submission to council;

b)    the responses, at paragraph 128 of this report, to the recommendations made by General Scrutiny Committee be agreed; and the following be recommended to Full Council;

i.               the draft Minerals and Waste Local Plan development plan document as amended be approved for pre-submission consultation;

ii.              authority be delegated to the Programme Director Housing and Growth, following consultation with the Cabinet Member Infrastructure and Transport, to make any technical amendments required to the draft Minerals Local Plan and supporting documents resulting from the completion of ongoing technical work before pre-submission consultation begins; and

iii.            authority be delegated to the Programme Director Housing and Growth, following consultation with the Cabinet Member Infrastructure and Transport, to make any minor textual or graphical amendments, prior to the submission to the Secretary of State; and

iv.            following completion of the pre-submission publication of the Minerals and Waste Local Plan and its supporting documents, the documents be submitted to the Secretary of State for Examination in Public.

1.         Not to progress the MWLP would leave the Council in a position where the extant Unitary Development Plan policies are out of date. This would be contrary to the recommendation of the Core Strategy inspector, who stated that a separate MWLP should be prepared in accordance with the local development scheme. When adopted, this will form part of the Herefordshire Local Plan.

2.         Not to delegate authority to make necessary and minor amendments is not recommended because it would be impracticable to await a further meeting of Full Council to address such matters.