Assessing the sustainability of minerals development in Devon, UK: Evolution of appraisal methods

Abstract

Planning regulations require county councils in England to prepare Minerals Local Plans that take the environment into account, preferably through an environmental appraisal. Recent practice has shifted from using environmental to sustainability appraisal, with new tools expected to provide information on sustainability decisions, not just predict environmental effects. Devon County Council used sustainability appraisal and made several modifications to the process, including defining what sustainable mineral development would look like, through objectives/targets - the objectives-led approach. The new methods yielded measurable results with many of the recommendations of the appraisal officer taken on board in the plan. This paper examines some of the improvements and considers how successful the approach has been in the light of some of the tensions inherent in the phrase 'sustainable minerals development'.