North Wales MS and Shadow Minister for Housing and Planning, Mark Isherwood, has spoken in favour of introducing a presumption in planning processes against approving quarry development in close proximity to settlements, but has warned that setting a mandatory buffer zone of 1,000m to all existing quarries arbitrarily - and without impact assessments - “risks impacting negatively on jobs, local economies, and the sustainable supply of key materials”.
In yesterday’s Debate on “A Member's Legislative Proposal: A Bill relating to planning processes for quarry development’, Mr Isherwood supported the general principles of the Bill, but “reluctantly” abstained in a vote on the motion as currently drafted.
Mr Isherwood called on the Welsh Government to “focus action on ‘introducing a presumption in planning processes against approving quarry development in close proximity to settlements’, as proposed in both the UK Planning (Quarries) Bill considered in 2023 and in the first part of the motion we’re debating today”.
He said:
“There is much in this motion to commend it. As referenced by the Proposer, it is taken, in large part, from the Westminster Private Members’ Planning (Quarries) Bill proposed by Conservative MP Paul Holmes, which had a First Reading in the House of Commons in March last year - a Bill, quote, 'to introduce a presumption in planning decision-making against approving quarry development in close proximity to settlements; to require the risks of proposed quarrying sites to the environment and to public health to be assessed as part of the planning process; to provide that the decision on a planning application for quarry development may only be made by the Secretary of State; and for connected purposes'.
“Therefore, there's great similarity. But in a devolved context, of course, ‘the Secretary of State’ has been replaced with ‘the relevant Welsh Government Minister, with consideration given to the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015’. We should not, therefore, in my view. vote against this motion.
“However, there is concern that the motion before us today also proposes that the Senedd ‘set a mandatory buffer zone of 1,000m for all new and existing quarries’. To apply this to all existing quarries, arbitrarily and without impact assessments, risks impacting negatively on jobs, local economies, and the sustainable supply of key materials. Further, setting a mandatory buffer zone of 1,000m for all new quarries, irrespective of local circumstance and demand for the materials, arbitrarily and without impact assessments, could mean, for example, that materials key to energy transition and energy security located at 990m away from a settlement could not be accessed.
“It is therefore prudent to instead focus action on ‘introducing a presumption in planning processes against approving quarry development in close proximity to settlements’, as proposed in both the UK Planning (Quarries) Bill considered in 2023 and in the first part of the motion we’re debating today. I would therefore have to reluctantly abstain in a vote on the motion as currently drafted, whilst supporting the general principle.”