Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Minerals Plan Consultation 2026

Key Points

• Cambridgeshire County Council and Peterborough City Council have launched a joint scoping consultation to replace the 2021 Minerals and Waste Local Plan.
• The public consultation runs from Monday 3 August 2026 to Monday 12 October 2026, lasting 10 weeks and one day.
• A parallel Call for Sites invites operators and developers to submit potential minerals and waste sites for assessment.
• Consultation documents include a Scoping Consultation guide, Engagement Strategy, Proposed Site Assessment Selection Methodology, and a Cross Border Issues paper.
• Responses can be submitted via an online form, by email to mandwpolicy@cambridgeshire.gov.uk, or by post to the New Shire Hall in Huntingdon.
• All comments and the name of the respondent will be published on the councils’ websites; responses are not confidential.
• The new plan will cover the entire County of Cambridgeshire and the City of Peterborough, replacing the plan adopted in July 2021.
• Under Regulation 44 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2026, a formal notice of intention to commence plan preparation was issued on 3 August 2026.

Cambridgeshire County Council (Cambridge Tribune) August 06, 2026 – CCC and Peterborough City Council (PCC) have formally commenced the review of their joint Minerals and Waste Local Plan, opening a 10-week public consultation to shape the next strategic framework for mineral extraction and waste management across the region. The move marks the first step in replacing the current plan, which was adopted in July 2021 and is set to guide development decisions until it is superseded by a new document.

What is the Minerals and Waste Local Plan Review Consultation?

The Minerals and Waste Local Plan Review Consultation is a statutory scoping exercise under Regulation 45 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2026, designed to gather early input on the scope, content, and engagement approach for a new joint minerals and waste plan. As reported by the joint planning team on the uk/local/cambridgeshire-county-council/">Cambridgeshire County Council website, the consultation seeks views on what the new plan should contain and how stakeholders should be engaged throughout its preparation.

The current Minerals and Waste Local Plan, adopted by both councils on 28 July 2021, sits alongside local plans prepared by district and city councils across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. Together, these documents form the policy basis used by planning authorities to determine where future minerals and waste developments should be located.

Why are Cambridgeshire and Peterborough councils reviewing the plan now?

The review is being undertaken to ensure the region has an up-to-date, robust policy framework for minerals and waste planning matters, in line with national planning regulations and evolving local needs. As noted in council documentation, adopting a new plan will provide a clear basis for directing minerals and waste operations to the most appropriate and sustainable locations.

The current plan was adopted in 2021 and is now due for replacement as part of the standard plan-making cycle, with the new document intended to cover the full area of the County of Cambridgeshire and the City of Peterborough. The notice of intention to commence preparation, issued under Regulation 44 on 3 August 2026, confirms the statutory start of the process.

What documents are available for the scoping consultation?

A suite of consultation documents has been published to support public engagement, including a three-page Scoping Consultation Guide summarising the key topics under consideration. The main consultation paper, titled “Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Minerals and Waste Plan – Scoping Consultation”, sets out the proposed scope and approach in detail.

Additional documents include an Engagement Strategy outlining how the councils plan to involve stakeholders, a Proposed Site Assessment and Selection Methodology for evaluating site submissions, and a Cross Border Issues paper addressing strategic matters that extend beyond administrative boundaries. All documents are available for download in PDF format from the councils’ planning policy webpages.

How can the public and stakeholders respond to the consultation?

Responses to the scoping consultation can be submitted through three channels: an online consultation form, email, or post. The designated email address for submissions is mandwpolicy@cambridgeshire.gov.uk, and postal responses should be addressed to MWLP Scoping Consultation, County Planning, Minerals and Waste, Box no. ALC2613, New Shire Hall, Emery Crescent, Enterprise Campus, Alconbury Weald, Huntingdon, PE28 4YE.

For those unable to access the consultation documents online, paper copies can be requested by contacting the joint Minerals and Waste Team, who will endeavour to send them by post. The consultation period runs from Monday 3 August 2026 to Monday 12 October 2026, providing a 10-week and one-day window for submissions.

What is the Call for Sites and who should participate?

Running alongside the scoping consultation is a Call for Sites, inviting operators, developers, and landowners to propose potential future minerals and waste sites for consideration in the new plan. As stated by the councils, submitted proposals will be assessed using the Proposed Site Assessment and Selection Methodology, which is itself open for comment during the consultation.

Those wishing to propose a site must complete the Site Submission Form, available as an Excel spreadsheet, and submit it with any supporting information by email or post to the same address as the scoping consultation. This process enables the councils to identify and evaluate a range of potential locations before drafting specific site allocations in later stages of plan preparation.

How will consultation responses be used and published?

All consultation responses will be summarised and the summary published in due course, including the number of responses and whether they came from individuals or organisations. As confirmed by the councils, each comment and the name of the person or organisation who made it will be published on the councils’ websites; comments are not treated as confidential.

Email addresses and other contact details of respondents will not be included in the published summary, and all responses will be handled in accordance with the councils’ privacy notice. This transparency is intended to ensure accountability and allow stakeholders to see the range of views expressed during the scoping stage.

Background of the Minerals and Waste Local Plan Development

The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Minerals and Waste Local Plan was first adopted on 28 July 2021, following a multi-stage process that included consultations on a Preliminary Draft (May 2018), a Further Draft (March 2019), and a Proposed Submission Plan (November 2019). The plan was prepared jointly by Cambridgeshire County Council and Peterborough City Council under section 28 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, enabling cross-boundary strategic planning.

The 2021 plan established policies to guide mineral extraction, waste management, and related infrastructure development across the two authorities until 2036, sitting alongside district and city local plans to form a comprehensive planning framework. The current review, initiated in August 2026, is the first formal step towards replacing that plan with a new document that reflects updated evidence, policy priorities, and regulatory requirements under the 2026 planning regulations.

Prediction: How the Plan Review Could Affect Local Communities and Developers

The outcome of this consultation and subsequent plan review is likely to shape where and how minerals and waste facilities are developed in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough for the next 15 years, directly affecting local communities, businesses, and the environment. For residents, the new plan could influence proximity to extraction sites, waste processing facilities, and associated transport routes, with potential implications for air quality, noise, traffic, and landscape character.

For developers and operators, the clarity provided by an updated plan will reduce uncertainty in the planning process, potentially accelerating approvals for sites that align with the new policies while constraining proposals in areas designated for protection or alternative uses. The inclusion of a Cross Border Issues paper and a formal Site Assessment Methodology suggests a more structured, evidence-based approach to site selection, which could improve consistency and transparency in decision-making.

If the consultation leads to stronger safeguards for mineral resources and infrastructure, as highlighted in recent regional planning discussions, it may also help secure long-term supplies of construction aggregates and support sustainable waste management capacity. Conversely, if community concerns about environmental impacts are not adequately addressed, there could be increased opposition to future proposals, potentially delaying delivery of needed infrastructure.