Mineral Plan Policy and development - Find a freedom of information request

1. I am requesting under the Freedom of Information Act copies of all emails, letters, notes, reports and diary entries relating to the consideration of 'cumulative impacts' in accordance with the National Planning Policy Framework Section 17, since July 2021. That relate to general Mineral Plan Policy and development, and/or the methodology for assessing the cumulative impacts and/or representations thereon. Encompassing both general County wide Policy or that relate to a specific location in this respect, namely West Deeping. 

2. I am also requesting since inception of the National Planning Policy Framework in March 2012 a copy of any Policy, reports or management emails relating thereto that relate to the consideration of 'cumulative impacts' of Mineral proposals and consents in a particular location and the Authorities Policies and Methodology for assessing and considering these cumulative impacts.

I can confirm that the information requested is held by Lincolnshire County Council. I have detailed below the information that is being released to you.

With respect to applications, the details are available on the website so you will be able to do a search.

Where applications have been determined, in addition to the application, the officer report and decision notice will be available:

https://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/planning/find-planning-application

For policy, the county council’s current policies are set out in the Lincolnshire Minerals and Waste Local Plan which was prepared in two parts: the Core Strategy and Development Management Policies (2016) and the Site Locations document (2017).

These therefore fall within the scope of the second question and are available on our website:

https://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/planning/minerals-waste

As such, this information is exempt from disclosure in accordance with the exemption set out at Section 21 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 which provides that a public authority need not comply with a request for disclosure under the Act where that information is reasonably accessible by other means.

The first document includes a policy on Cumulative Impacts (Policy DM7) whilst the second document includes specific allocations for mineral working (sand & gravel).

Attached the Sites and Areas Report and relevant Appendices which set out how the sites put forward for allocation in the Site Locations document were assessed. Also attached is the final Sustainability Appraisal (Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA)) documents that were used to assess the plans and sites together with the associated SEA adoption statements.

The county council is in the early stages of updating the Lincolnshire Minerals and Waste Local Plan and carried out a public consultation last year on an Issues and Options document.

This therefore falls within the remit of the first question. That document is also available on our website together with an accompanying Proposed Site Assessment Methodology and Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report:

https://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/planning/minerals-waste/2

I can confirm that no site assessments have been completed for the proposed new plan.

Should you require the attachment mentioned above please contact customerinformationservice@lincolnshire.gov.uk with the below reference number and this can be provided.