Black Country Core Strategy Issue and Option Report

Support. We particularly support the protection of existing strategic waste management capacity as identified in point 4 of Policy WM1 of the current BCCS.
To this end, we request the continued identification of our sites at Highfields South Landfill in Walsall (Grid Ref: SK 041 025) and Himley Landfill at Oak Lane in Dudley (Grid Ref: SO 896 902 ) as providing strategic waste management capacity.
Both these sites will continue to operate during the BCCS period, providing landfill capacity for residual waste until the mid-2020's. They provide available landfill capacity to meet the need for the disposal of residual waste arising in the Black Country; and landfilling is the method by which both (the former quarry) sites will be restored to deliver the approved restoration schemes for each site - to provide green landscaped open space with public access, contributing to and enhancing the green infrastructure within the Black Country.
Reflecting Planning Practice Guidance - Waste (October 2015)*(see below) it would be helpful to acknowledge, within the Justification section to either WM1 or WM2, the principle that landfill remains an important part of the waste management network and that, due to the success of moving waste management up the waste hierarchy, inputs to landfill sites have fallen, meaning it is taking longer to make full use their capacity; hence there may be a need for planning applications for extensions of time to complete landfilling; this will ensure their capacity is fully used in meeting the identified needs of the BCCS. This Planning Practice Guidance adds support to Policies WM1 and WM2 - in protecting and retaining the capacity of existing strategic waste management sites.
We will be happy to work with the Councils in providing data about our sites as part of the proposed Waste Study.
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*Extract from Planning Practice Guidance - Waste:
Are time extensions for landfill sites allowed?
Waste planning authorities should be aware that the continued provision and availability of waste disposal sites, such as landfill, remain an important part of the network of facilities needed to manage England's waste.
The continued movement of waste up the Waste Hierarchy may mean that landfill sites take longer to reach their full capacity, meaning an extension of time limits to exercise the planning permission may be needed in some circumstances, provided this is in accordance with the Local Plan and having taken into account all material considerations.
Reflecting Planning Practice Guidance - Waste (October 2015)*(see below) it would be helpful to acknowledge, within the Justification section to either WM1 or WM2, the principle that landfill remains an important part of the waste management network and that, due to the success of moving waste management up the waste hierarchy, inputs to landfill sites have fallen, meaning it is taking longer to make full use their capacity; hence there may be a need for planning applications for extensions of time to complete landfilling; this will ensure their capacity is fully used in meeting the identified needs of the BCCS. This Planning Practice Guidance adds support to Policies WM1 and WM2 - in protecting and retaining the capacity of existing strategic waste management sites.
We will be happy to work with the Councils in providing data about our sites as part of the proposed Waste Study.
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*Extract from Planning Practice Guidance - Waste:
Are time extensions for landfill sites allowed?
Waste planning authorities should be aware that the continued provision and availability of waste disposal sites, such as landfill, remain an important part of the network of facilities needed to manage England's waste.
The continued movement of waste up the Waste Hierarchy may mean that landfill sites take longer to reach their full capacity, meaning an extension of time limits to exercise the planning permission may be needed in some circumstances, provided this is in accordance with the Local Plan and having taken into account all material considerations.