Statement of Common Ground between County Council and Northumberland National Park Authority, 15 May 2019

Governance and working arrangements

● North of Tyne Working Group Meetings ● Northumberland and NNPA Duty to Cooperate Meetings ● North East Minerals and Waste Policy Officers Group ● North East Regional Aggregates Working Party

Engagement on Cross Boundary Matters

Key Issue and Outcome

Northumberland County Council (NCC) and Northumberland National Park Authority (NNPA) work collaboratively and constructively in relation to a number of cross-boundary issues and have shared evidence base studies1. The issues and outcomes identified here are of particular relevance to the Northumberland Local Plan Publication Draft (NLPPD) and emerging Northumberland National Park Local Plan.

NNPA had no comment to make on the NCC Northumberland Local Plan Publication Draft Plan (Regulation 19) consultation (January 2019) in relation to its legal compliance or soundness or compliance with the Duty to Cooperate.

Housing/ Gateway settlements

In response to public consultation on the NCC Local Plan Draft Regulation 18 the NNPA welcomed the aspiration to deliver sustainable development across the County and particularly supported the identification of Haltwhistle; Bellingham; and as preferred locations for this growth. The aspiration to promote sustainable rural economic growth in suitable locations is supported by NNPA. The gateway settlements of Rothbury, Wooler, Bellingham and Haltwhistle can help meet some of the identified housing needs of the National Park whilst also providing essential community facilities and services for current and future residents.

The outcome is that while a proportion of Northumberland's overall housing need falls within the protected Northumberland National Park (an independent local planning authority), given its lower levels of need and much slower rate of new house building, the Northumberland Local Plan does not make any specific reduction to take into account housebuilding within the National Park.

1 NCC landscape sensitivity study, Strategic Flood Risk Assessment and NCC playing pitch strategy (which covers the NNPA). Environment Northumberland’s distinct and unique landscape is a significant natural and cultural asset. It is important to ensure that the policies of the NCC Local Plan do not undermine the National Park’s special qualities and statutory purposes2.

The outcome is that Policy ENV3 of the Northumberland Local Plan Publication Draft recognises the great weight that should be given to the conservation and enhancement of the special qualities and the statutory purposes of the Northumberland National Park.

Renewable energy

NNPA raised concerns in response to the consultation on the Regulation 18 Draft Local Plan regarding the policy approach to onshore wind energy development3.

The outcome was that amendments were proposed in the Publication Draft Plan Regulation 19 and supporting technical paper to be clearer about the approach and how individual proposals would be determined. Policy REN 1 Renewable and low carbon energy and associated energy storage and Policy REN 2 Onshore wind energy development, in the Northumberland Local Plan Publication Draft, all give great weight to the special qualities and the statutory purposes of the Northumberland National Park.

Waste

The North East authorities, County Council, North Yorkshire County Council and other relevant stakeholders such as the Environment Agency participate in the North East Minerals and Waste Planning Policy Officers Group to resolve strategic, cross boundary issues, share information and support joint working on the evidence-base relating to waste arisings, cross boundary movements and waste management capacity.

The outcome of the work has involved identifying significant movements of waste and whether these have implications in terms of strategic planning through the following evidence-base studies: ‘Model of Waste Arisings and Waste Management Capacity (July 2012)’; ‘Production and disposal of low level radioactive waste (August 2013)’; and ‘Waste Management Capacity Update Note (January 2016)’.

NCC continue to acknowledge that NNP is reliant on waste management facilities outside the National Park to meet its needs due to its rural nature. Local authority collected waste, for example, is managed through sites in main towns and service centres outside of the National Park. This raises an important cross boundary

2 As set out within the Northumberland National Park Management Plan (2016-2021) 3 NCC and NNPA Duty to Cooperate meeting minutes 13.12.2018 plus written representation received to regulation 18 draft plan public consultation. issue but the volumes of wastes are relatively small. There is general agreement that NCC need to take account of this when planning for waste management.

Minerals

The eight Mineral Planning Authorities in , Northumberland and Tyne and Wear (Durham County Council, Gateshead Council, Newcastle City Council, North Tyneside Council, Northumberland County Council, Northumberland National Park Authority, South Tyneside Council and Sunderland City Council) work collaboratively on aggregate minerals planning matters and work jointly to prepare an annual Local Aggregates Assessment4.

The outcome is that the agreed Local Aggregates Assessment informs policy in the respective Local Plans, including an agreed approach to calculating the level of provision in each plan. Provision for aggregate minerals is a key cross boundary issue between NCC and NNPA. Recognising NPPF policy in relation to national parks and aggregates extraction, NCC seeks to ensure the provision for Northumberland as a whole is provided outside of the National Park.

All of the aforementioned authorities also actively participate in the North East Aggregates Working Party alongside the five Tees Valley authorities and representative of the industry. The North East Aggregates Working Party meet regularly (at least on an annual basis) to discuss strategic aggregates minerals planning issues and publish an Annual Aggregates Monitoring Report5, which provides data to inform and monitor local plan policy.

The mineral planning authorities in North East also participate in the North East Minerals and Waste Planning Policy Officers Group meetings to discuss a range of strategic, cross boundary issues relating to minerals, share information and identify opportunities for joint working.

The outcome is that Policy MIN 1 Environmental criteria for assessing minerals proposals gives weight to the special qualities and the statutory purposes of the Northumberland National Park and the annual Local Aggregates Assessment being undertaken jointly with an agreed approach to calculating the level of provision in each plan.

4 Joint Local Aggregates Assessment for County Durham, Northumberland and Tyne and Wear, December 2018 https://www.northumberland.gov.uk/NorthumberlandCountyCouncil/media/Planning-and- Building/planning%20policy/Studies%20and%20Evidence%20Reports/Minerals%20Waste%20Studies/3.%20 LAA/Joint-Local-Aggreg ate-Assessment-December-2018.pdf

5 Annual Aggregates Monitoring Report 2017, December 2018 https://www.northumberland.gov.uk/NorthumberlandCountyCouncil/media/Planning-and-Building/planning%20p

Ongoing joint working The two authorities will continue to work closely on cross-boundary issues (including housing, landscape, minerals, waste and renewable energy).

NCC will ensure policies in the Local Plan provide an appropriate level of protection to the Northumberland National Park, recognising its special qualities and statutory purposes. The Council will also seek to maintain land banks of aggregate minerals for the Northumberland sub-region outside of the National Park.