Purpose

To consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Growth and Skills seeking support for the adoption of the Hampshire Minerals and Waste Plan 2026.

Decision

To recommend to Council that the updated Hampshire Minerals and Waste Plan (Members Room Document 1) and associated Policies Map (Appendix 1) be adopted in accordance with the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.

Reasons for the decision

The Hampshire Minerals and Waste Plan 2026 should be supported to progress to formal adoption in order to satisfy the Council’s statutory duty, as per the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, by ensuring that an up-to-date plan is in place to deliver adequate minerals and waste infrastructure in the city to support development to 2040. This directly responds to Corporate Plan 2025 objectives to grow Southampton’s economy and deliver the homes, sustainable transport and social infrastructure that the city needs to thrive.

It is important to note that as the HMWP has been prepared as a joint plan covering the authoritative areas of the Hampshire Authorities, as per the HMWP Partnership Agreement. As such, each authority must take all the necessary plan making steps, therefore all must have resolution to adopt the Plan individually to comply with Section 28 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.

Alternative options considered

The only alternative is not to progress the Plan to formal adoption. This option has been rejected as it would not assist in meeting the Council’s statutory duty and would leave the Council in a vulnerable position with regards to minerals and waste supply and safeguarding and an inefficient use of public money invested since 2020 to develop the new plan.

To not adopt the plan would mean that Southampton City Council would need to immediately commence a new plan in order to satisfy its statutory duty of having an up-to-date Minerals and Waste Plan in place, especially by 2030 when the existing plan period ends. This will incur significant costs (estimated between £500,000 and £1M) and significant resource pressures. This new Plan would also need to go through new plan making stages to satisfy new regulations.