3.1 The Joint Minerals & Waste Plan will cover the period up to 2036 to align with Local Plans the Central & Eastern Berkshire Authorities are producing.
3.2 The Vision, Strategic Plan Objectives and Spatial Strategy principles have been prepared to be consistent with National Policy principles and fit with the other Local Plans within Central and Eastern Berkshire.
3.3 The Vision shapes the overall direction of the Central and Eastern Berkshire - Joint Minerals & Waste Plan. The area covered by the Plan will continue to experience significant growth in the period up to 2036. The Vision must, therefore, recognise the balance to be struck between making provision for minerals and waste developments to meet future requirements and ensuring that such developments seek social, environmental and economic gains.
3.4 The focus of the Vision is on ensuring a sufficient supply of minerals based on the principles of sustainable development. The Joint Minerals & Waste Plan will strive to ensure that minerals are available at the right time and in the right locations to support levels of growth in terms of new housing, commercial, industrial development and essential infrastructure; and that waste is managed near to where it is produced and in accordance with the waste hierarchy. The Joint Minerals & Waste Plan will seek to provide for future minerals and waste needs; conserve local resources; maximise the treatment of waste as a potential resource; provide local jobs; and protect and improve the environment. The Plan recognises the urgency required to tackle climate change and will proportionately contribute to the climate change response.
3.5 The following is the Vision for the Joint Minerals & Waste Plan:
Vision for Central & Eastern Berkshire
In recognition of the importance of the area as a source of minerals, the Central & Eastern Berkshire Authorities will aim to ensure the maintenance of a steady and adequate supply of minerals, whilst maximising the contribution that minerals development can bring to local communities, the economy and the natural and historic environment.
Waste will be managed in a sustainable way, in accordance with the waste hierarchy. The Authorities will work in collaboration with others to ensure the best environmental solutions to waste management are delivered.
The Plan will also ensure that the full extent of social, economic and environmental benefits of minerals and waste development are captured, contributing to Central and Eastern Berkshire’s economic activity and enhancing the quality of life and living standards within the area. These benefits will be achieved, whilst minimising impacts on the natural and historic environment and positively contributing to climate change adaptation and mitigation.
3.6 The purpose of the strategic objectives are to assist in the delivery of the Spatial Vision and provides the context and overall direction of the Plan. The Strategic Plan Objectives are to:
3.7 The Central & Eastern Berkshire Authorities have, and will continue to, work collaboratively with other bodies and partners26. This will ensure that strategic priorities across local boundaries are, and will continue to be, properly coordinated and clearly reflected in this Plan, any subsequent review of this Plan, and other individual Local Plans.
3.8 The spatial context in which this Plan is set is outlined in the Key Diagram (see Section 4). This includes the existing minerals and waste sites that are already contributing to mineral supply and waste management within the Plan area. The existing movements of minerals and waste (both imports and exports) are shown which highlights the strategic nature of these requirements. In addition, an Area of Search is outlined which demonstrates the potential locations for future sand and gravel proposals.
3.9 The Vision, Objectives and Spatial Strategy are delivered by the policies in this Plan. As the Plan is a joint plan between four different authorities, and the policies make provision for minerals, waste, conservation, and climate change mitigation and adaptation, all the policies are considered strategic.
3.10 Central and Eastern Berkshire is characterised by both its urban and rural nature, with the key towns of Reading, Wokingham, Bracknell, Windsor and Maidenhead, alongside large areas of countryside with smaller settlements and villages. It is also crisscrossed by significant transport corridor routes in the form of the M4, A33, A404, A329(M), A322 and the Great Western Mainline rail route from Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington, the Windsor Lines and the Waterloo-Reading line (see Figure 4). The Plan area is also characterised by its extensive network of water courses including rivers which are used by leisure users but could provide opportunities for more sustainable transportation of materials.
Figure 1: Strategic Transport Routes in Central and Eastern Berkshire
3.11 This transport network forms a vital building block in the area’s buoyant economy; that unites local authority areas and will be a key element of the strategic spatial approach.
3.12 Central and Eastern Berkshire is located at the heart of the economic powerhouse of the United Kingdom. It is within the Thames Valley Berkshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), prominent within the South East and is adjacent to London. As a result, and in line with the Thames Valley LEP Strategic Economic Plan, the wider Thames Valley will be subject to major growth pressures on a local and national level throughout the Plan period. Future growth requirements will play a key role in forming the spatial strategy for Central and Eastern Berkshire, as well as the wider Thames Valley region.
3.13 The area’s importance is highlighted by its relatively close proximity to several major infrastructure projects including the M4 Junctions 3 to 12 Smart Motorway and Southampton to London Pipeline Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects; the High Speed 2 rail link from London to the North; the proposed Heathrow airport expansion and Crossrail. These projects significantly increase the regional and national demand for construction aggregates, as well as for construction waste treatment and recycling.
3.14 The unitary authorities of Bracknell Forest, Windsor and Maidenhead, and Wokingham are also characterised by a considerable area of Green Belt, which covers large areas of these authorities outside of the existing built up area. The Plan area also benefits from a rich natural and historic environment with prominent features such as Windsor Castle and Great Park.
3.15 In addition, a steady, adequate supply of aggregate will be required to support the drive for increased housebuilding in the area as well as supporting infrastructure such as roads, schools, and commercial premises. These future projects will also impact future waste management requirements through increased numbers of households and businesses as well as the associated production of construction wastes.
3.16 The Spatial Strategy, in delivering the Vision and Objectives of the Plan, is based on a number of principles. These principles form the basis of sustainable development, and the delivery aspect of the Plan, such as site allocations, must adhere to these principles:
26 Duty to Cooperate Statement (July 2020) - www.hants.gov.uk/berksconsult
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