About the emerging Somerset Minerals and Waste Plan
Somerset Council has started preparing of a new Minerals and Waste Plan for Somerset.
The Minerals and Waste Plan will set out how Somerset will provide for the supply of minerals and management of waste while protecting communities and the environment during the plan period. It will sit alongside the Somerset Local Plan and together the plans will form part of the Development Plan for Somerset.
The plan will cover the Somerset Council area, excluding the part of Exmoor National Park that falls within Somerset.
Why are we preparing a new Plan?
Somerset Council has a statutory duty to prepare planning policies for minerals and waste development.
Minerals and waste policy in Somerset is currently set out in two separate documents:
The new Minerals and Waste Plan will combine these into a single document. It will provide an up-to-date framework for minerals and waste development across Somerset.
Somerset is nationally significant in the supply of minerals. The Plan will help ensure that minerals resources continue to be supplied and that waste continues to be managed sustainably whilst protecting communities and the environment.
A new plan‑making system for England was implemented in March 2026 via the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2026. This has changed how plans are prepared and how people can take part at each stage.
Current Stage
The council is in the early stages of preparing the plan.
Work is underway to define the scope of the Plan, prepare supporting evidence and develop an approach to stakeholder engagement.
The Council expects to undertake an initial scoping consultation during January 2027. This will give communities, minerals and waste operators, businesses, statutory consultees and other interested parties an opportunity to help shape the plan at an early stage.
Contact the planning policy team
To keep up to date with the latest news about the Somerset Minerals and Waste Plan and other planning policy work, sign up to the Plan-it Newsletter.
If you have any questions about the preparation of the Somerset Minerals and Waste Plan, email: Planningpolicymandw@somerset.gov.uk
Documents
Documents will be added to this page as they become available.
- Minerals and Waste Plan Timetable
- Notice of Intention to Commence Plan-Making
- Scoping Consultation
- Evidence Base Documents, including Topic Papers
- Upcoming consultations including Call for Sites
Plan-it Somerset Newsletter
Keep up to date with the emerging Somerset Minerals and Waste Plan, consultations, planning news and other key updates by subscribing to our Plan-it Somerset newsletter.
Sign up to our newsletter