The Minerals and Waste Core Strategy Plan for Submission sets out strategic objectives for minerals and waste issues within the Plan area, identifies strategic sites for both mineral extraction and waste management (including waste disposal and waste recovery capacity) for the period up to 2028, and includes a suite of core policies which will be used to determine planning applications for mineral extraction and waste management. It is accompanied by Technical Evidence Papers (which interpret and summarize purely factual information, and provide the key assumptions in the Core Strategy); as well as an Evidence Base of factual information; and a Sustainability Appraisal. This Plan represents the final stage in the preparation of the Core Strategy prior to it being submitted to the Secretary of State for approval.

However, before we submit the Plan to the Secretary of State, we need you to tell us whether or not it is ‘sound’. To be ‘sound’ the document should be justified, effective and consistent with national policy.

• To be justified the Plan must be based on robust and credible information. It must also be the most appropriate strategy when considered against the reasonable alternatives.
• To be effective the Plan must contain proposals that have reasonable prospects of being developed whilst being flexible enough to respond to changes in circumstances. We must also be able to check that the policies are doing what they are supposed to be doing.
• The Plan should be consistent with national policy, or where there is a departure from it, it should be justified.

Please note that the consultation on soundness ended on the 5th of February 2012. The Councils are presently considering the representations received.

All representations are available for inspection on our consultation portal

If you want to make comment you need to decide on what basis:

• Legal Compliance – the Councils have to prepare the Plan according to a number of legal requirements. The Inspector will ensure that these have requirements have been met. Any response relating to the way the Plan has been prepared is likely to fall under this category.
• Soundness – if you are responding on the content of the Plan then your comment is likely to relate to this category.

We believe that this document is ‘sound’. If you disagree we need to hear from you. To make your response you must say to which part of the Core Strategy your response relates to, and to which policy or paragraph. You can view and comment on the Minerals and Waste Core Strategy Plan for Submission and supporting documents on our consultation portal:

http://centralbedfordshire-consult.objective.co.uk/portal

You can view and comment on the Minerals and Waste Core Strategy Plan for Submission and supporting documents on our consultation portal.

Copies of the Core Strategy and supporting information (Technical Evidence Papers and Sustainability Appraisal) are available for inspection at the following locations:

Bedford Borough Council 

• Bedford Borough Council, Borough Hall, Cauldwell Street, Bedford
• Bedford Borough Council, Town Hall, St. Pauls Square, Bedford

Central Bedfordshire Council

• Central Bedfordshire Council, Priory House, Chicksands, Shefford
• Central Bedfordshire Council, The Old Court House, Woburn Street, Ampthill
• Central Bedfordshire Council, The Old Magistrates Court, 4 Saffron Road, Biggleswade
• Central Bedfordshire Council, The Council Offices, High Street North, Dunstable
• Central Bedfordshire Council, Bossard House, West Street, Leighton Buzzard
• Central Bedfordshire Council, Tithe Farm Road, Houghton Regis

Luton Borough Council 

• Luton Borough Council, Town Hall, Community Centre, Apex House, 30 – 34 Upper George Street, Luton
• Purley Centre
• Farley Hill Office
• Lewsey Farm Office

Main libraries

Copies are also available at the main libraries throughout the Plan area.

The documents are available to purchase:

• Minerals and Waste Core Strategy (paper copy): £12 (including postage)
• Minerals and Waste Core Strategy (CD including the supporting Technical Evidence Papers, Evidence
• Base and Sustainability Appraisal): £6 (including postage)

Please note that if you would like individual copies of any of the supporting documents (Technical Evidence Papers, Evidence Base, Sustainability Appraisal), photocopying charges will apply. Please contact us for further information.

We would like to hear from your views about the 'soundness' of the minerals and waste core strategy. please send us your comments using the representations form available below. You can make your representations:

• Online through our consultation portal
• By e-mail to: MWPlans@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk
• Make a representation form (PDF 57KB)
• Alternatively you can write to the Minerals and Waste Planning Team at:

Joint Minerals and Waste Planning Team
Central Bedfordshire Council
Priory House
Monks Walk
Chicksands
Shefford
Bedfordshire
SG17 5TQ

Or for help please telephone us on 0300 300 6219.

Representations can be made between 9am on Monday, 5 December 2011 and midnight on Sunday, 29 January 2012. All representations must be received within this timescale in order to be valid, and will be published on the consultation portal. Once the consultation is complete, any representations received on issues of soundness will be reviewed and any changes found necessary made, before it is submitted to the Secretary of State in 2012. Due to an administrative error in the South of the Plan area we are extending the consultation period by 1 week until midnight on Sunday 5 February.

Data Protection Act

The information that you provide will be processed by Central Bedfordshire Council, Bedford Borough Council and Luton Borough Council and its agents, in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998. This will contribute to the Joint Minerals and Waste Development Framework and other statutory land use and transportation planning functions. To comply with The Town and Country Planning (Local Development England) Regulations 2004, the authorities may need to make all comments submitted available for public inspection.