Decision

To appoint SLR Consulting Ltd to prepare the Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) for the North Yorkshire Local Plan – this is to now to include Minerals and Waste. The commission commenced earlier but has been extended to include minerals and waste matters.

Reasons for the decision

The production of a HRA to inform plan-making is a legal requirement. Local Plans must be subject to Habitats Regulations Assessment, and this work is already underway for the Local Plan, commissioned back in Spring 2025. As minerals and waste matters are now to be subsumed into the Local Plan, the current HRA needs to be expanded to take those matters in. The decision to incorporate minerals and waste into the Local Plan was made at Executive on the 6 October.

Alternative options considered

SLR Consulting are currently undertaking the Habitats Regulation Assessment (HRA) of the North Yorkshire Local Plan. As minerals and waste matters are now to be subsumed into the Local Plan it is important that these matters are considered as needed within that statutory requirement.