Hampshire Minerals & Waste Plan (2026): Adoption Statement
Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (as amended)
The Town and Country Planning (Local Development) (England) Regulations
2012 (as amended)
Notice of Adoption of a Development Plan Document
In accordance with Regulations 26 and 35 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Development) (England) Regulations 2012 (as amended), notice is hereby given that the Hampshire Minerals & Waste Plan (2026) was adopted by each of the local planning authorities on the dates set out below.
Hampshire County Council, Portsmouth City Council, Southampton City Council, New Forest National Park Authority and South Downs National Park Authority (the ‘Hampshire Authorities’) resolved separately to adopt the Hampshire Minerals & Waste Plan (2026) at their respective Council and Authority meetings on the following dates:
- South Downs National Park Authority – 07 July 2026
- Portsmouth City Council – 14 July 2026
- Southampton City Council – 15 July 2026
- Hampshire County Council – 16 July 2026
- New Forest National Park Authority – 23 July 2026
The Hampshire Minerals & Waste Plan (2026) sets out the long-term spatial vision for sustainable minerals and waste development in Hampshire up to 2040 and is the principal document for the management of minerals and waste in the Plan Area (covering the areas of Hampshire County Council, Portsmouth City Council, Southampton City Council, New Forest National Park Authority, and those parts of the South Downs National Park which fall within Hampshire).
An independent Inspector was appointed by the Secretary of State and considered the Hampshire Minerals & Waste Plan during an Examination in Public which involved public hearings held in two stages in February 2025 and September 2025.
The Inspector’s Report, with its recommendations, was received by the Hampshire Authorities on 16 April 2026 and published online on 08 May 20261. The Report concluded that the Hampshire Minerals & Waste Plan (2026) is sound and legally compliant, subject to the incorporation of final Main Modifications recommended by the Inspector as set out in the Appendix to the Report. These Main Modifications are incorporated in the adopted Hampshire Minerals & Waste Plan (2026).
1 https://documents.hants.gov.uk/mineralsandwaste/HWMP-Inspectors-Report.pdf
The Hampshire Minerals & Waste Plan (2026) supersedes the Hampshire Minerals & Waste Plan (2013) in its entirety.
Any person aggrieved by the adoption of the Hampshire Minerals & Waste Plan (2026), by any or all of the Hampshire Authorities, may make an application to the High Court under Section 113 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 on the grounds that the document is not within the appropriate powers and/or a procedural requirement has not been complied with. Any such application must be made no later than the end of the six-week period starting with the date after the date of adoption. The challenge periods are therefore as follows:
- South Downs National Park Authority – challenge period ends 19 August 2026
- Portsmouth City Council – challenge period ends 26 August 2026
- Southampton City Council – challenge period ends 27 August 2026
- Hampshire County Council – challenge period ends 28 August 2026
- New Forest National Park Authority – challenge period ends 4 September 2026
Inspection of documents
Copies of the adopted Hampshire Minerals & Waste Plan (2026) and associated documents, including this Adoption Statement, Sustainability Appraisal (incorporating Strategic Environmental Assessment) Post-Adoption Statement and Habitats Regulation Assessment Record will be available for inspection on the Hampshire County Council website2.
Alternatively, documents will be available for inspection (upon appointment during normal office hours) at the following locations shortly after the publication of this notice:
- Hampshire County Council - EII Court, The Castle, Winchester, Hampshire, SO23 8UD
- New Forest National Park Authority - Lymington Town Hall, Avenue Road, Lymington, SO41 9ZG
- Portsmouth City Council - Civic Offices, Guildhall Square, Portsmouth, PO1 2AL
- South Downs National Park Authority - South Downs Centre, North Street, Midhurst, West Sussex, GU29 9DH
- Southampton City Council - Civic Centre, Southampton SO14 7LY and Central Library, Southampton, SO14 7LY
Date of publication of notice of adoption – 30 July 2026
2 https://www.hants.gov.uk/landplanningandenvironment/minerals-waste-planning/hampshire-minerals-waste-plan