Planning applications are principally determined on the basis of planning policy set at national and local level. The key policy documents that will be material to determination of this application can be accessed from this page.
National Policy Statement
The 2008 Planning Act introduced a new planning system for applications to build Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIP) in England and Wales. The system covers applications for major energy generation, railways, ports, major roads, airports and water and hazardous waste infrastructure. Under this system, national policy on NSIPs will be set out in a series of new National Policy Statements. Simply click on the names of the documents below to download:
The hazardous waste NPS was introduced in draft in 2011. The NPS will be finalised in mid 2012. This is the main policy document that will be referred to by the IPC in determining the planning application. The draft NPS makes clear that there is a national need for hazardous waste management facilities such as the operations at ENRMF.
LLW Policy
The management of low level radioactive waste is the subject of national policy published by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA). The policy documents describe a critical need for management facilities for LLW and identify the suitability of landfill for LLW disposal.
Local Policies
The Northamptonshire County Council Waste Development Framework will be a material consideration for the proposals. In the framework documents the site is committed for waste management and as such has a favourable status for waste development.
The Waste Development Framework documents can be accessed here: http://www.northamptonshire.gov.uk/en/councilservices/Environ/planning/policy/minerals/Pages/minerals-waste-development-framework.aspx