MINERALS
4.18 Minerals are valuable finite resources. They are important in terms of their end use (for example the construction of buildings and roads) and for the employment opportunities they create. However mineral workings may have adverse environmental effects, including visual impacts, dust, noise and vibration from blasting. The need to extract minerals must be reconciled with care for the environment, particularly in relation to the natural, built and cultural heritage and existing communities, and to minimising the distance materials must be transported to their points of use.
4.19 In order to direct mineral workings away from the most sensitive locations a hierarchical approach to mineral extraction has been adopted. This relates to the environmental significance of an area and its ability to accommodate mineral workings. There are four tiers, with mineral extraction proposals falling within a defined preferred area being more acceptable than in local, national or international designated areas. The designations within each tier for minerals extraction are shown in Table 5.
| POLICY 24 | ||||
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Proposals for minerals extraction shall be sited so as to safeguard habitats, species and landscapes of value. Mineral extraction proposals should be based on a sequential exploration of tiered planning designations outlined in Policy 26 and Table 5. When considering applications for consent to extract minerals, regard shall be taken of the desirability of maintaining a landbank sufficient to provide for a ten year supply of sand and gravel and a twenty year supply of hard rock. Local plans will:
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