Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011

1.—(1) In this Schedule—

“dormant site” means a Phase I or Phase II site in, on or under which no minerals development has been carried out to any substantial extent at any time within the period of 15 years ending on the date on which this Schedule comes into operation;

“first list” means, in relation to a council, the list prepared by the council under paragraph 3;

“mineral site” has the meaning given by sub-paragraph (2);

“Phase I site” and “Phase II site” have the meanings given by paragraph 2;

“relevant planning permission” means any planning permission for minerals development; and

“second list” means, in relation to a council, the list prepared by the council under paragraph 4.

(2) For the purposes of this Schedule “mineral site” means—

(a) in a case where it appears to the council to be expedient to treat as a single site the aggregate of the land to which any two or more relevant planning permissions relate, the aggregate of the land to which those permissions relate; and

(b) in any other case, the land to which a relevant planning permission relates.

(3) In determining whether it appears to it to be expedient to treat as a single site the aggregate of land to which two or more planning permissions relate a council must have regard to any guidance issued for the purpose by the Department.

(4) Any reference (however expressed) in this Schedule to a relevant planning permission relating to a mineral site is a reference to the mineral site, or some part of it, being the land to which the permission relates; and where any such permission authorises the carrying out of development consisting of the winning and working of minerals but only in respect of any particular mineral or minerals, that permission shall not be taken, for the purposes of this Schedule, as relating to any other mineral in, on or under the land to which the permission relates.

(5) For the purposes of this Schedule, a mineral site which is a Phase I site or a Phase II site is active if it is not a dormant site.

(6) For the purposes of this Schedule, working rights are restricted in respect of a mineral site if any of—

(a) the size of the area which may be used for the winning and working of minerals or the depositing of mineral waste;

(b) the depth to which operations for the winning and working of minerals may extend;

(c) the height of any deposit of mineral waste;

(d) the rate at which any particular mineral may be extracted;

(e) the rate at which any particular mineral waste may be deposited;

(f) the period at the expiry of which any winning or working of minerals or depositing of mineral waste is to cease; or

(g) the total quantity of minerals which may be extracted from, or of mineral waste which may be deposited on, the site,

is restricted or reduced in respect of the mineral site in question.

(7) For the purposes of this Schedule, where an application is made under paragraph 9 for the determination of the conditions to which the relevant planning permissions relating to the mineral site to which the application relates are to be subject, those conditions are finally determined when—

(a) the proceedings on the application have been determined, and

(b) any time for appealing under paragraph 11(1), or applying or further applying under paragraph 9, (where there is a right to do so) has expired.