Planning policies for minerals extraction

Minerals are important natural resource which make an essential contribution to the nation's prosperity and quality of life. One of the main demands for minerals comes from the construction industry where minerals such as sand, gravel, slate, limestone and clay are used for buildings and infrastructure development.

Planning policies for minerals need to strike a balance between society's needs for minerals and the need to protect our local environment. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) prepares a number of Minerals Planning Guidance Notes to guide minerals extraction development and operation.

Should proposals for minerals extraction in Wolverhampton come forward, the Council will consider them on their merits, in accordance the Minerals Planning Guidnace Notes, and with the Mineral Extraction policy and other relevant policies contained within the Unitray Development Plan.

Although there are currently no active minerals workings in Wolverhampton, it is important to protect known accessible minerals reserves (coal and clays) to allow for future extraction if necessary. The Coal Authority have defined an area of "opencast interest present and future" in the south east of Wolverhampton, where they wish to be consulted on any major development proposals in order to consider the need for any further extraction of minerals before development occurs. Plans showing this area and Minerals Resource Information Maps produced by the British Geological Survey are available from the Planning Policy and Area Plans team, on request:

Telephone:    (01902) 552177

E-mail:         planning.policy@wolverhampon.gov.uk