York minerals and waste plan update

Fracking to be discussed by York Council committee on 10th October

Fracking dangersA joint minerals and waste plan for York and North Yorkshire will take another step forward next month, when City of York Council’s Local Plan Working Groups and subsequently its Executive, will be asked to approve the draft Minerals and Waste Joint Plan.

North Yorkshire County Council, City of York Council and the North York Moors National Park Authority have joined together to produce a new minerals and waste plan for the area covered by the three authorities.

The report also deals with the issues relating to hydraulic fracturing for shale gas (fracking) in terms of what policies would be included in the Draft Minerals and Waste Plan to deal with any potential future applications for shale gas exploration or extraction in the Joint Plan area.  The Joint Plan will help make sure a high level of protection is provided to local communities and the environment when planning applications for these forms of development are being considered.

A first consultation was undertaken within the three authority areas in June 2013 and was followed by an Issues and Options consultation in April 2014 which received 2,405 responses. Both consultations sought views on what the Joint Plan should contain and what the priorities should be.
(more…)