Development framework

Monitoring report, Local Aggregate Assessment and silica sand study

Monitoring report

The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 requires every local authority to produce a monitoring report setting out information relating to:

  • the status of development plans and their replacement through the framework
  • planning applications
  • policy usage
  • core indicators
  • minerals
  • waste

Legislation requires monitoring reports to be updated when information becomes available, rather than on an annual basis. This means that some sections will be updated more frequently than others will. Each section states when the section was last updated.

View or download current minerals and waste monitoring report (PDF)

Local Aggregate Assessment

In 2012, the government set a requirement for mineral planning authorities to produce a Local Aggregate Assessment (LAA) on an annual basis, to ensure that an adequate supply of aggregate minerals is maintained.

Our LAA includes:

  • a forecast of demand for aggregates based on existing reserves and the agreed apportionment
  • an assessment as to whether a 7-year land bank for sand and gravel has been met
  • information on existing sites, strategic sites and geology of the area
  • information on sources of recycled and secondary aggregates
  • and information on aggregate imports into the Plan area

View or download Bedfordshire Authorities LAA (PDF)

Bedfordshire silica sand update

We appointed Cuesta Consulting Limited in December 2016 to provide an update of its earlier (2008) study of silica sand in Bedfordshire.

The new study was required to include:

  • an update of the technical information relating to silica sand production in Bedfordshire, and corresponding end-uses
  • an update on silica sand sales, reserves and operations within the Central Bedfordshire Local Plan area
  • technical advice on any silica sand sites and related issues to be considered as part of the Minerals Local Plan Review
  • an update on the availability of alternative silica sand production, reserves and resources within areas which are able to compete, effectively, within the markets now being served from sites in Bedfordshire

Download Bedfordshire Silica Sand Study (PDF 2MB) .