Residents in Derbyshire are being invited to have their say on a new Minerals Local Plan for Derby and Derbyshire.

Derbyshire County Council says the draft plan will help the authority make decisions about planning applications for new quarries or extracting minerals until 2038 in Derby and Derbyshire, outside of the Peak District National Park.

Measures to avoid and minimise potential environmental impacts of mineral extraction or quarrying which can raise concerns for local communities are also set out in the plan.

Some of the specific sites identified for mineral working include extensions to the following quarries:

• Swarkestone Quarry – sand and gravel
• Elvaston Quarry - sand and gravel
• Longcliffe Quarry - industrial limestone

New sites for mineral working are proposed at:

• Foston - sand and gravel
• Sudbury - sand and gravel

A series of drop-in sessions will be held to discuss the draft plan with local communities. This includes one in the High Peak - at Buxton Library on Monday 28 March from 2.30pm to 6.30pm.

Councillor Martyn Ford, Chair of the Derbyshire and Derby Development Plans Joint Advisory Committee, said: “Minerals are important to our way of life, not only in building houses, factories and roads, but also in the manufacture of a huge range of everyday products such as paints, paper and toothpaste. They are also important in the production of energy used to heat our homes and fuel our industries.

“Derbyshire is rich in minerals, making the county one of the most important in the UK for resources particularly limestone.

“But the same geology which gives rise to this wealth of resources also creates the striking landscapes which are important to Derbyshire people, the visitor industry and the local economy.

“Unfortunately, mineral working almost always causes some impact on the environment and local communities. The challenge now is to find the best balance between these competing interests, and this is where we need local people to help by completing the consultation.”

You can take a look at the draft plan online at Derbyshire.gov.uk/mineralslocalplan and submit your comments to planning.wastemin@derbyshire.gov.uk or in writing to:

Minerals Local Plan Team, Place, Planning Services, Place, Room N8, North Block, County Hall, Matlock, DE4 3AG.

If you require the Proposed Draft Plan in alternative formats, contact Call Derbyshire on 01629 533190.

The closing date for comments is 29 April 2022. The plan will then be finalised for formal publication later this year and for independent examination in 2023.

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