A NEW plan to guide planning decisions about minerals and waste in York and North Yorkshire until 2030 has been approved by councillors.

A Full Council meeting of City of York Council voted to adopt the Minerals and Waste Plan last week.

The plan sets out planning policies for minerals and waste developments as well as providing protection for residents, businesses and the environment when plans are considered.

The city council prepared the plan with North Yorkshire County Council (NYCC) and the North York Moors National Park Authority, following a decision to work together in 2013.

Since then, much work has taken place, including extensive public consultation and a public examination of the plan by a government planning inspector. Modifications recommended by the inspector have been incorporated into the plan following further consultation.

As minerals and waste planning authorities, the two councils and the park authority produced the plan.

With the county council receiving a report from a government Planning Inspector to say it met all requirements and was ‘sound’, this paved the way for the city council to adopt the plan.

Cllr Andrew Waller, Executive Member for Planning, said: “This is the first plan in the country to establish an extended buffer zone to protect residential locations from fracking, recognising the negative environmental impacts of this activity to residents and which also through earth tremors endanger the heritage buildings of York.

"It is a milestone moment which ensures our newly adopted plan sets out the policies that will help guide any planning decisions for all minerals and waste developments over the next decade.

“The 3 authorities have formed a strong partnership and produced a robust plan, and I’d like to thank officers for all their hard work over the years to establish a strong evidence base for policies which were tested at public inquiry. This will help protect critical natural settings and environmentally important places across York and North Yorkshire.

"The plan includes robust protection for residents and the environment to guide future planning applications for developments such as new or extended quarries and new waste management facilities, including recycling and treatment centres.”

The plan includes robust protection for residents and the environment to guide future planning applications for developments such as new or extended quarries and new waste management facilities, including recycling and treatment centres. Measures also include an extended buffer zone to protect residential locations as well as environmentally important places, such as the National Park, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, nature conservation areas and important historic sites.

North Yorkshire Council voted to adopt the plan at a meeting in February.

Details of the plan can be found at www.northyorks.gov.uk/minerals-and-waste-joint-plan