Following the adoption of the minerals local plan the County Council has transferred its mineral safeguarding areas (MSAs) maps to an interactive web-based map (Policies Map).
Policies MCS 5 and DM 10 and Appendix 3 in the adopted Warwickshire Minerals Local Plan (PDF, 74MB) safeguard Warwickshire’s mineral resources, existing mineral sites, and existing and future mineral infrastructure.
Mineral resources
The safeguarded mineral resources (MSAs) are sand and gravel, crushed rock, brick making clays, cement raw materials, shallow coal and building stone and the MSAs can be viewed on the Policies Map.
Minerals infrastructure
The existing minerals sites are shown on the Policies Map.
The mineral infrastructure in the county comprises permitted and allocated mineral sites, concrete batching plants, mortar plants, asphalt plants, concrete products plants and recycled and secondary aggregates sites. Further details can be found in the adopted local plan at Appendices 4 and 5 where the safeguarded sites are listed.
Mineral consultation areas
The MSAs in Warwickshire are also “mineral consultation areas” and therefore can guide consultation by local Councils with the County Council on planning applications and local plan making likely to affect safeguarded mineral resources and infrastructure.
Land and property searches
Usually when purchasing land and/or property interested parties will submit an Official Local Authority Search to a local Council. One of the search questions asks for information on designations of land use for the property. A MSA is a land use designation.
Interested parties can request further information on MSAs for land/property from the County Council for which a fee is chargeable. For further details please contact planningstrategy@warwickshire.gov.uk.
Guidance for developers
Please refer to Policies MCS 5 and DM 10 and Appendix 3 in the adopted local plan.
For local plan making the County Council has prepared “Guidance Notes for MARs Local Plans” to aid developers in addressing national and local mineral safeguarding policy by the preparation and submission of a Mineral Assessment Report (MAR). A copy of the guidance notes can be downloaded below.
Minerals are a non-renewable resource that can only be worked where they are found. Safeguard our mineral resources and protect our mineral infrastructure by following these steps:
Mineral resources
- Check whether your development site lies within one or more of the MSAs. View the MSAs on the Policies Map on our Minerals Local Plan web page.
- Check whether your development type is exempt by referring to Appendix 3 in the adopted local plan.
- If your development is not exempt and lies within one or more MSA then prepare and submit a detailed Minerals Assessment Report either as part of your planning application documents or at the pre application stage. Further details on mineral assessments can be found in paragraphs 9.177 – 9.180 in the adopted local plan.
- If you are submitting a site for local plan consideration then please follow the MARs guidance notes.
Mineral infrastructure
- Check the location of mineral infrastructure sites and facilities in the county by viewing the Policies Map and checking the lists of sites set out in Appendices 4 and 5 in the adopted local plan. The Figures in the adopted local plan also provide information on the general location of such sites.
- Prepare and submit a detailed report demonstrating that your development site would not prejudice or jeopardise the use of existing and planned mineral sites or existing and future mineral infrastructure (see paragraphs 8.56, 9.182 and 9.183 in the adopted local plan).