§ Mr. Paul MarsdenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the objection by the Government Office for the West Midlands to the Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin Minerals Local Plan 1996 to 2006. [102991]
§ Ms Beverley HughesThe Government Office for the West Midlands is maintaining an objection to policy M16 (Crushed Rock Aggregates) in the Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin Minerals Local Plan. The objection is to the effect that the policy on crushed rock extraction should be more flexible to enable proposals to come forward, in exceptional circumstances, for new as well as extended sites. Any application for a new site for crushed rock extraction would be determined in the light of all material planning considerations, including the extensive nature of existing reserves. A proposed modification meeting the Government Office's objection was placed on deposit by the joint minerals planning authority on 3 December.