Decision details

Further to Minute No. 18 of the meeting of the Planning Committee held on 12 June 2013, the Cabinet considered the report of the Director of Built Environment on the proposed adoption of the Merseyside and Halton Joint Waste Local Plan following a public consultation on the proposed modifications to the Waste Local Plan, which was undertaken between November 2012 and January 2013.

The report explained that all local authorities were required to prepare a Local Plan that provided a policy framework and land allocations for a new waste management infrastructure to meet the identified needs of each Council. The report was in addition to the Local Plan which is referred to in Minute No. 11 above.

This was a Key Decision and was included in the Council’s Forward Plan of Key Decisions.

Decision Made:

That:

(1)       the results of the public consultation on the proposed modifications to the Merseyside and Halton Joint Waste Local Plan, which was undertaken between November 2012 and January 2013, be noted;

(2)       it be noted that the report from the Planning Inspector concluded that, subject to the proposed modifications, the Plan “meets the criteria for soundness in the National Planning Policy Framework” and “provides an appropriate basis for waste planning for Merseyside and Halton over the next 15 years”;

(3)       it be noted that several of the Sefton Unitary Development Plan ‘saved’ policies would be replaced by Waste Local Plan policies including the site allocations; and

(4)       the Council be recommended to adopt the Merseyside and Halton Joint Waste Local Plan as part of the statutory development plan.

Reasons for Decision:

To ensure the Joint Waste Local Plan becomes part of the statutory planning framework, within which, it would be possible to assess proposals for new waste energy infrastructure in Sefton.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:

No. All local authorities are required to have a Plan of this kind.