minerals planning policy

Hampshire County Council (HCC) is the local planning authority for mineral policies and development. The council is responsible for setting the appropriate policies to guide development and determine minerals planning applications. HCC has a legal responsibility to make sure it facilitates delivery of the right materials, at the right time in the right place. The current Minerals & Waste Plan runs to 2030 – and is rolled forward.

Following extensive public consultation, the area of land known as Purple Haze was allocated in the Plan as the “the most sustainable, deliverable and acceptable options in terms of the environment and local amenity and best meeting the objectives of the Plan.”

It is important to note that although the site was included as a reserve landfill site in the Plan, our proposals do not include any provision for landfill.

All county councils produce annual updates on aggregate supply and are required to provide at least a 7 year supply. Currently there is only a 3 year supply of building sand consented for extraction and that Purple Haze is the last building sand site in the Plan. Against this background, it is clear Purple Haze would be a significant site for the county to ensure continued supply of this essential building material.