The Waste Core Strategy Local Plan was adopted by Full Council on 15 November 2012 and is now part of the development plan.

• Waste Core Strategy Local Plan (PDF)
• Waste Core Strategy Adoption Statement (PDF)

The Worcestershire Waste Core Strategy Development Plan Document was submitted to the Secretary of State for examination on 28 November 2011.

The Inspector

The Secretary of State appointed Andrew S Freeman BSc(Hons), DipTP, DipEM, FRTPI, FIHT, MIEnvSc to undertake an independent examination into the soundness of the Worcestershire Waste Core Strategy.

The role of the Inspector was to consider whether the document

1. Is legally compliant (i.e. meets the requirements of the Planning Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 and associated Regulations) and
2. Satisfies the criteria for soundness (i.e. whether it is justified, effective and consistent with national policy).

The Inspector's Report

On 20 July 2012 the Inspector issued his report on the Waste Core Strategy. He concluded that with the recommended main modifications set out, the strategy is 'sound' and legally compliant.

• The Inspectors Report and Appendix

The report is binding on the Council. The Council adopted the Waste Core Strategy with the changes required by the Inspector at the meeting of the Full Council on 15 November 2012.

Venue, Programme and Issues for Discussion

Hearing Sessions were held from Tuesday 13 March 2012 to Friday 16 March 2012 in the Kidderminster Room of County Hall, Worcester. The Programme Officer, Ian Kemp, contacted all representatives with details of the Sessions and the Issues to be discussed, relevant correspondence can be found below:

• Introductory Letter (PDF)
• Guidance Notes (PDF)
• Programme, Issues and Questions (Version 5, 2 March 2012) (PDF)

Written Statements and Statements of Common Ground

The following statements were submitted to the Programme Officer in response to the Inspector's issues and questions.

• Worcestershire County Council Hearing Statement
  (this is also available in the document library, reference WRS 1)
• Please note that in preparing the Schedule of Proposed Changes, errors were identified in the Council's Hearing Statement (document library reference WRS 1a). These are shown correctly in the Schedule of Proposed Changes.
• Worcestershire County Council's response to the Inspector's supplementary question – 29 February 2012 (this is also available in the document library, reference WRS 1b)
• Mrs Louise Brookes Written Statement.
  Appendix 1 and Appendix 2 (this is also available in the document library, reference WRS 2 )
• Statement of Common Ground between Mercia Waste Management (represented by Axis) and Worcestershire County Council (this is also available in the document library reference  SCG 1)
• Statement of Common Ground between English Heritage, Natural England and Worcestershire County Council
  (this is also available in the document library, reference SCG 2)

Schedule of Proposed Changes

In response to the Inspector's questions and the debate in the hearing sessions, the Council consulted on a number of changes it would like to propose to the Waste Core Strategy. These changes are set out in the Schedule of Proposed changes:

• Schedule of Proposed Changes (22 May 2012)
  (this is also available in the document library, reference PC 8)

For further information on the consultation, please see the consultation stages page.

Adoption

The Council adopted the Waste Core Strategy at the full Council meeting on 15 November 2012. This was followed by a six-week period for legal challenge which expired on 27 December 2012 and no challenges were made.

This means that the Waste Core Strategy is now part of the 'development plan' which will be used to make decisions about all planning applications in Worcestershire. It has replaced the existing Structure Plan policies that relate to waste.