AM 741/26 – Adoption of Hampshire Mineral & Waste Plan

Summary:

The purpose of this report is to recommend the adoption of the Hampshire Minerals and Waste Plan, which can be viewed alongside all supporting documents on the Authority’s website - https://www.newforestnpa.gov.uk/planning-home-page/planning-policy/minerals-and-waste/ This follows on from the independent examination of the Plan in 2025 and the publication of the Inspector’s Report earlier this year (Annex A online). The Inspector concluded that the Hampshire Minerals and Waste Plan (Annex B online) provides a sound and appropriate basis for the planning for minerals and waste development across the Plan area, including the whole of the New Forest National Park, provided that a number of modifications are made to it.

Additionally, this report is recommending the adoption of the latest updated version of the Hampshire Minerals and Waste Local Development Scheme (LDS) which sets out the timetable for the subsequent monitoring and review of the Hampshire Minerals and Waste Plan following adoption.

Recommendations:

1. To note the findings of the Inspector’s Report (Annex A online);
2. To endorse the schedule of Main Modifications (Annex B online), the updated Hampshire Minerals and Waste Plan (Annex C online), Policies Map (Annex D online), Sustainability Appraisal (Annex E online), Habitats Regulations Assessment (Annex F online) and Inspector’s Report;
3. The updated Hampshire Minerals and Waste Plan be formally adopted in accordance with the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, and brought into immediate effect to form part of the statutory ‘development plan’ for the New Forest National Park.
4. Delegate authority to the Head of Planning and Place, in consultation with the Chair of the Authority, to make any inconsequential changes to the Hampshire Minerals and Waste Plan and Policies Map required prior to publication;
5. The Hampshire Minerals and Waste Local Development Scheme 2025 (Annex G online) be formally adopted and brought into immediate effect.

1. Introduction

1.1 The New Forest National Park Authority, as a minerals and waste planning authority, is working with Hampshire County Council, Southampton and Portsmouth City Councils, and the South Downs National Park Authority (“the Hampshire Authorities”) to revise the Hampshire Minerals and Waste Plan. The adopted Plan covers the whole of the New Forest National Park, including the area within south Wiltshire, and was adopted in 2013. Given the passage of time and subsequent changes in national policy, the Hampshire Authorities agreed that a review and an update was required.

1.2 All Minerals and Waste Planning Authorities are required by law to produce a Plan setting out their policies for guiding minerals and waste development. The Plan must be compliant with the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) which outlines the national policy requirements set by Government. Further Government policy is set out in the National Planning Policy for Waste.

1.3 The NPPF (2024) requires that Local Plans be reviewed to assess whether they require updating at least once every five years, and this includes minerals and waste plans.

1.4 An initial review of the Plan, undertaken in 2018, concluded that the Plan’s policies were deemed to be effective in enabling development and implementing the Vision. A commitment was made to hold a Review Workshop (which was hosted by Hampshire County Council on 25 September 2019) and to undertake a further Review in 2020.

Plan making progress

1.5 The 2020 Review concluded that the adopted Plan needed to be updated, following which a Draft Plan was prepared. This was subject to consultation for 12 weeks from 8 November 2022 to 31 January 2023, in accordance with Regulation 18 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012 (“the Regs”). A total of 2,500 responses were received with the majority focusing comments on the proposed site allocations. A consultation summary report was prepared to draw together the issues raised¹.

1.6 The responses were reviewed, and issues raised were considered, where appropriate, in the Proposed Submission Plan. To support the update of the Plan, several studies and assessments have been prepared. New minerals and waste data was used to update the forecasting work for both future minerals demand and provision, and waste management arisings and capacity.

1 Regulation 18 Consultation Summary Report - https://documents.hants.gov.uk/mineralsandwaste/HMWPPartialUpdateConsultationSummaryReport-Regulation18DraftPlan-May2023.pdf

1.7 The Proposed Submission Plan consultation ran for eight weeks from 9 January 2024 to 5 March 2024 in accordance with the Regs. A total of 831 responses were received (89 of which were from organisations 742 were personal responses). A consultation summary report was prepared drawing together the issues with a response from the Hampshire Authorities. The representations received were compiled and submitted alongside the Submission Plan to the Secretary of State on 29 July 2024.

1.8 The Secretary of State appointed Luke Fleming as the independent Planning Inspector to examine the Plan. His role was to assess whether the Plan had been prepared in accordance with the Duty to Cooperate, legal and procedural requirements, and whether it was “sound” – namely whether it was:

• Positively prepared – the Plan should be prepared based on a strategy which seeks to meet objectively assessed development and infrastructure requirements, including unmet requirements from neighbouring authorities where it is reasonable to do so and consistent with achieving sustainable development.
• Justified – the Plan should be the most appropriate strategy, when considered against the reasonable alternatives, based on proportionate evidence.
• Effective – the Plan should be deliverable over its period and based on effective joint working on cross-boundary strategic priorities.
• Consistent with national policy – the Plan should enable the delivery of sustainable development in accordance with the policies in the NPPF.

1.9 Examination hearings were held between 4 and 13 February 2025 which addressed Matters, Issues and Questions identified by the Inspector following review of the Plan and the representations. An additional hearing was held on 9 September 2025 which focused the Matters, Issues and Questions on the Purple Haze proposed allocation on the edge of Ringwood Forest.

1.10 Following the discussions at the hearings, proposed modifications to the Submission Plan were prepared, which were considered necessary to make the Plan legally compliant and/or sound. The modifications were assessed through Sustainability Appraisal (incorporating Strategic Environmental Assessment) and Habitats Regulations Assessment. The proposed modifications were subject to consultation between 4 December 2025 and 12 February 2026 in accordance with the Regulations. 51 representations were submitted within the consultation timeframe. These were passed on to the Planning Inspector for consideration and were made publicly available.

1.11 The Hampshire Authorities received the final Inspector’s Report on 16 April 2026 and published the Report on 8 May 2026, as soon as practicable after the elections. Receipt of the Report marked the end of the examination process.

Overview of the Inspector’s Report

1.12 The Planning Inspector concludes that the Hampshire Minerals and Waste Plan can be adopted, after the Main Modifications (MMs) are applied. With these modifications, the Plan is found to be sound, legally compliant, positively prepared, effective, and consistent with national policy.

1.13 The Inspector confirms the Plan, with the application of the Main Modifications, meets all legal requirements, relating to the Duty to Co-operate, public consultation, Sustainability Appraisal, Habitats Regulations Assessment, and equality duties.

Minerals supply

1.14 The Plan provides for a diverse supply mix of aggregates including:

• Land-won sand and gravel.
• Marine-won aggregates.
• Recycled and secondary aggregates.
• Imports via rail depots and wharves.

1.15 The Inspector considers that the policies are based on robust evidence from the Local Aggregate Assessment and that national requirements for maintaining landbanks are met.

1.16 The relevant modifications refine provision rates, clarify minimum recycled aggregate capacity, and strengthen safeguarding of infrastructure.

Site allocations

1.17 The Plan allocates four aggregate extraction sites:

• Ashley Manor Farm, New Milton (sharp sand and gravel).
• Hamble Airfield, Hamble-le-Rice (sharp sand and gravel).
• Midgham Farm, Alderholt (sharp sand and gravel).
• Purple Haze, Verwood (soft sand).

1.18 The Plan also allocates an aggregate rail depot at Andover Sidings in central Andover.

1.19 These are judged to be the only suitable and deliverable options. The modifications adjust yield estimates, strengthen environmental safeguards, ensure compliance with habitats legislation and improve clarity around restoration, transport, hydrology, and ecological impacts.

Other minerals

1.20 The Plan makes adequate provision for silica sand, brick-making clay, chalk and oil and gas. The modifications ensure landbank requirements, climate considerations, and environmental protections are fully addressed.

Waste management

1.21 The Plan aims for net self-sufficiency whilst recognising cross-boundary waste movements. Waste arisings are forecast to rise slightly to 2040, creating capacity gaps that the Plan addresses through:

• Safeguarding existing facilities.
• Supporting recycling as well as limited recovery capacity.
• Allowing new proposals to come forward, where justified, against set criteria.

1.22 No new landfill sites are allocated, reflecting national policy and the Waste Hierarchy. The modifications improve clarity on capacity figures, monitoring, safeguarding and consistency between policies.

Development Management

1.23 The Plan is strongly aligned with

• Climate change mitigation and adaptation, including a requirement for Climate Change Assessments
• Protection of biodiversity, landscapes, soils, water, heritage assets and public health
• Enhancing restoration outcomes and amenity.

1.24 The modifications improve legal alignment with habitats legislation, clarify how policies should be applied and evidenced and strengthen protection for National Parks, National Landscapes and the Green Belt. In his report the Planning Inspector noted that “The Plan makes no allocations for minerals or waste development within either a National Landscape or National Park. However, it contains a suite of policies which would protect and further the purposes of conserving and enhancing the natural beauty of National Landscapes and National Parks should proposals come forward over the plan period which are not identified in the Plan.”

Monitoring and implementation

1.25 The Inspector considers that the monitoring framework is broadly sound but requires modification, particularly for climate change outcomes and plan review mechanisms. With the modifications in place, it will provide a clear “monitor and manage” approach through to 2040.

Justification for adoption of the Plan

1.26 The updated Plan sets out minerals and waste planning requirements for the Minerals and Waste Planning Authorities in Hampshire and sets a clear decision-making framework for the extraction of minerals to meet demand and to provide for sustainable waste infrastructure to meet Hampshire’s needs up to 2040.

1.27 The policies have been updated so that they accord with national planning policy and legislation. This includes, but is not limited to, inclusion of Biodiversity Net Gain requirements, the need to have regard to the Local Nature Recovery Strategy, updates to Green Belt protection and the protection of National Parks and National Landscapes.

1.28 The updated Plan also builds upon and strengthens the policies within the adopted Plan (2013) including the protection of public health, safety, amenity and well-being (and a new requirement for Health Impact Assessments), a new policy considering water management and a clear expectation of what is required to manage traffic impacts. The need to mitigate and adapt to climate change has been weaved throughout the Plan in relation to flooding, restoration, design as well as through a new requirement for Climate Change Assessments.

1.29 The minerals policies seek to ensure a steady and adequate supply of aggregate and suitable provision of Hampshire’s locally important minerals as well as protecting those resources for the future and the infrastructure for processing and importing the minerals that cannot be found in Hampshire such as crushed rock.

1.30 A flexible approach to aggregate supply has been included in the updated Plan to allow for changes in demand over time and ensure Hampshire can respond more quickly to enable growth, where required. The updated policies also provide for better consideration of climate change and nationally protected landscapes as well as better reflecting existing and potential aggregate wharf and rail depot capacity.

1.31 Due to a lack of suitable sites, the allocations in the Plan may not be sufficient to provide supply up to 2040. As such, criteria have been included to enable suitable sites to come forward, where required, including soft sand proposals within the ‘soft sand preferred areas’ outside of the National Parks and other protected areas.

1.32 The waste policies have been updated with information on current and future waste management capacity gaps as well as an update to the framework for delivering sustainable waste management facilities ensuring application of the Waste Hierarchy. There is continued reliance on a criteria-based approach to delivering sites which has proven to be successful rather than specific site allocations. However, this has been updated with more considerations of the suitability and sustainability of the site. The safeguarding of existing waste management facilities, where suitable, has been strengthened to protect capacity.

1.33 The Plan identifies sites that are considered suitable in principle for development. Several sites were put forward to the Hampshire Authorities for consideration as part of the ‘call for sites’ exercise. However, following assessment of the sites, many were ruled out for allocation. As part of the hearings, the Inspector requested further information on when and why sites were ruled out as some site promoters considered that their sites should be allocated. A note was prepared for the Inspector and he concluded that he was “satisfied that the approach to site selection is proportionate and robust”.

1.34 Whilst it is recognised that there have been several objections to the allocations at various stages of plan-making, the issues raised have been reviewed and, where necessary, addressed through the inclusion of specific Development Considerations and the careful consideration of the policies in the Plan to ensure that the sites are deliverable and consistent with national policy.

1.35 All the mineral extraction site allocations have been subject to planning applications during plan-preparation. Therefore, close liaison has taken place with the relevant case officers. At the time of drafting this Report, Ashley Manor Farm has been permitted (subject to a legal agreement), Hamble Airfield has been permitted (subject to a High Court ruling), Purple Haze and Midgham Farm have planning applications awaiting determination.

Finance Considerations

1.36 The partner authorities have a contractual arrangement with Hampshire County Council. Each partner pays 8% of the yearly cost for these services, with Hampshire County Council covering the remaining 68%.

Legal considerations

1.37 The Plan has been prepared in partnership, in accordance with the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012, and the Statements of Community Involvement of the Hampshire Authorities.

1.38 Although the Duty to Cooperate was repealed under the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023, it is still applicable within the transitional arrangements for Plan Making and therefore the requirements have been met.

1.39 The necessary Statutory Assessments have been undertaken including both Sustainability Appraisal (incorporating Strategic Environmental Assessment) and Habitats Regulations Assessment.

1.40 It is considered that the necessary processes have been followed, and that compliance and soundness checks have been met, as confirmed by the Planning Inspector’s Report.

Consultation and Equalities

1.41 The Plan update has been subject to three periods of public consultation in accordance with Regulation 18, Regulation 19 and Regulation 24 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012 and the Statements of Community Involvement of the partner Authorities.

1.42 The Equality Impacts of the Hampshire Minerals & Waste Plan (2026) have been assessed to be neutral as the Plan enables decision making on what development is needed, where it should take place and contains policies for protecting the environment and communities. It does not impact on any particular section of the community. Whilst development has been identified in specific locations, the policies apply county-wide. Impacts on protected groups are assessed as part of the decision-making process for specific planning applications.

2. Adoption of the revised Minerals and Waste Local Development Scheme (LDS)

2.1 Local Planning Authorities are required to publish a Local Development Scheme (LDS) setting out the timescales for producing relevant development plan documents. The LDS sets out the work programme for the review of the Hampshire Minerals and Waste Plan and identifies when the public and other interested parties can get involved in the process of plan making. It includes information about the content and production timetable for the Plan review, superseding the previous 2023 version.

2.2 As a result of the recent planning reforms, updates to the NPPF and revision to the standard methodology, MHCLG requested local planning authorities produce an updated Local Development Scheme reflecting these changes, which is the reason for this revision to the LDS.

2.3 Following adoption of the Hampshire Minerals and Waste Plan the partner Authorities will monitor the Plan and supporting documents. An early review of the Plan will be undertaken in 2027 to assess the effectiveness of the policies, and the potential implications for minerals of any revisions to housing numbers.

Recommendations:

1. To note the findings of the Inspector’s Report (Annex A online);
2. To endorse the schedule of Main Modifications (Annex B online), the updated Hampshire Minerals and Waste Plan (Annex C online), Policies Map (Annex D online), Sustainability Appraisal (Annex E online), Habitats Regulations Assessment (Annex F online) and Inspector’s Report;
3. The updated Hampshire Minerals and Waste Plan be formally adopted in accordance with the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, and brought into immediate effect to form part of the statutory ‘development plan’ for the New Forest National Park.
4. Delegate authority to the Head of Planning and Place, in consultation with the Chair of the Authority, to make any inconsequential changes to the Hampshire Minerals and Waste Plan and Policies Map required prior to publication;
5. The Hampshire Minerals and Waste Local Development Scheme 2025 (Annex G online) be formally adopted and brought into immediate effect.