5. STRATEGY, PRINCIPLES AND LOCATIONS FOR WASTE RELATED DEVELOPMENT

Northamptonshire currently (2011) produces 2.82 Mt of various types of waste, this includes: 0.36 Mt of Municipal Solid Waste (13%); 1.06 Mt of Commercial and Industrial waste (37%); 1.35 Mt of Construction Demolition and Excavation waste (48%); and 0.05 Mt of hazardous waste (2%). This waste is either disposed of to landfill or it is re-used, recycled, composted or recovered through other forms of treatment (e.g. anaerobic digestion, waste to energy, etc). 

In recent years Northampton has experienced a growth in the waste management industry. This has been beneficial to the develoment of a sustainable waste management network throughout the county and has greatly increased our operational capacity, particularly in relation to preliminary treatment, i.e. preparing for re-use and recycling. Although the county has made headway in this regard, there is still a need to continue to drive waste up the hierarchy, recognise waste as a resource and maximise recovery. 

A Local Assessment of Waste Management Needs (November 2013) was undertaken to inform the plan-making process in relation to the current situation and future waste planning requirements. This included forecasts (or projections) of how much waste is likely to be generated throughout the plan period for each waste stream: Municipal Solid Waste (MSW), Commercial and Industrial (C&I), Construction Demolition and Excavation (CD&E) and hazardous waste. Forecasts are used to determine the permitted and operational capacity, future capacity requirements (for the different types of waste and management methods) and the type of facilities needed to manage waste and contribute towards the continuing development of a sustainable waste management network to 2031 and beyond.  

Waste forecasts are based on arisings for Northamptonshire. Subsequently the indicative capacity requirements represent the need to manage at least the equivalent amount of waste produced within the county, i.e. net self-sufficient. The movement (imports and exports) of waste across authority boundaries has been be taken into consideration. 

It is widely recognised that gaining accurate and up-to-date data on waste arisings, origin, fate and movements can be difficult. In assessing the county’s needs the most up-to-date and reliable data (at the time) was used, for detailed information regarding the forecasts refer to the Local Assessment of Waste Management Needs.  

Data for municipal waste is the most accurate data available (due to the requirement for local government to monitor and report on activities); as such confidence can be placed in projections based on such data. There is less confidence in the historic data for other waste streams and subsequently there may be considerable uncertainty associated with making forecasts.  

Although it is not possible to address the growth (or decline) of the other waste streams in quite the same way as for municipal waste, it is important to recognise that there are similar factors that are likely to influence waste arisings. These include increasing landfill tax, Aggregates Levy and producer responsibility measures such as the Packaging, End of Life Vehicles and Batteries Directives, as well as changes to the Landfill Regulations.  

Economic and population growth will tend to lead to increases in waste arisings, as increased activity will produce wastes. However the correlation is not linear, with the above noted factors largely acting to ‘decouple’ or break the link between growth and waste arisings. In addition, although waste arisings have generally been seen to increase over time, it is important to understand that past trends in waste arisings are not necessarily a good indication of what will occur in the future.  

Facilities in the county have traditionally been landfill. Due to increasing restrictions on disposal to landfill, all waste will require treatment prior to disposal; this treatment can involve a number of waste management methods, including sorting. The waste management capacity has been identified by management method, including preparing for re-use and recycling, composting, advanced treatment and disposal. It is assumed that re-use and recycling rates will not decrease. Waste management capacity equivalent to at least ten years has been demonstrated. In order to facilitate improved monitoring of waste arisings and uptake of waste management capacity throughout the plan period, both waste arisings and indicative waste management (and disposal) capacity requirements have been provided at five year intervals, set out in Table 3. 

Residual waste arisings have been determined by applying the minimum residual output rates per tonne of waste input for: processing of recyclables (3%), composting (5%) and advanced treatment (20%)⁵. Small amounts of hazardous residual waste may also be produced from advanced treatment processes at a rate of 2%. Outputs vary widely and are dependant on the technology employed, scale of facility and quality of waste input (i.e. waste stream or mix, contaminant level and calorific value). Not all of this material needs be disposed of to landfill; it can be re-used within the operational cycle, further processed using other technologies, used in construction or recycled. Potential residual waste arisings are derived from a limited range of technologies which may not reflect the final technologies which come on stream during the plan period. This is due to the dynamic nature of the waste management industry and emerging technologies. Hence it is recognised that, although it is necessary to acknowledge the potential future capacity requirements for disposal, forecasts for residual arisings requiring disposal to landfill cannot be determined with any level of certainty.
 

Sewage and waste water treatment were not included in the Local Assessment of Waste Management Needs. Sewage and waste water treatment in Northamptonshire is, depending on the part of the county, managed by Anglian Water, Severn Trent Water and Thames Water. Water Cycle Strategies and Strategic Flood Risk Assessments have been undertaken by the District and Borough councils within Northamptonshire. These studies identify major issues associated with the planned growth for the area such as sewage treatment, water quality, supply and efficiency, flood risk management and sustainable drainage systems. 

Hazardous waste has historically been considered material that poses the greatest risk to human health or the environment, including materials such as asbestos, oils, solvents and chemical wastes. The Landfill Directive refers to some wastes as ‘hazardous’, rather than ‘special’, broadening the definition to include everyday items such as fluorescent tubes, monitors and televisions that have reached the end of their lives. Hazardous materials are subject to strict controls on carriage, treatment and disposal. 

Due to the requirements on the management of hazardous wastes, facilities generally have a wider catchment area. As such it may be appropriate to consider the provision of hazardous waste management and disposal facilities at a much wider than local scale (e.g. regional or even national).  

Data on hazardous wastes is relatively precise and is reported through the Environment Agency’s (EA) Hazardous Waste Interrogator, which indicates that 51,000 tonnes of hazardous waste was produced within Northamptonshire in 2011, with the majority (70%) exported. Wider waste movements (imports and exports) show that on balance Northamptonshire is a net importer of hazardous waste; importing over four times as much as it exports, with over 200,000 tonnes of hazardous waste managed within Northamptonshire in 2011. Hazardous waste arisings and anticipated capacity requirements throughout the plan period are identified in Table 4. 

These patterns reflect the fact that such facilities specialise in particular aspects of hazardous waste management and disposal and so are considered to have a specialist nature. The ENRMF located at Kings Cliffe, Northamptonshire is a hazardous waste disposal (landfill) and treatment facility; this facility has a national catchment and is one of few such facilities in the Country.  

Radioactive wastes are produced in the UK as a result of the generation of electricity in nuclear power stations and from the associated production and processing of the nuclear fuel (including decommissioning of plant), from the use of radioactive materials inindustry, from the extraction of materials which include some naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM), medicine and research and from military nuclear programmes. Radioactive waste is divided into categories according to how much radioactivity it contains and the heat that this radioactivity produces:

• Higher activity wastes - this includes Intermediate Level (ILW) and High Level (HLW) wastes. Higher activity waste is not suitable to be disposed of in the same way as Low Level Waste, i.e. at near surface facilities for disposal. These wastes require storage (some may be treated before storage) in secure containers or are ‘packaged’ to allow for radioactivity to undergo a natural decay process. Current ‘interim’ storage arrangements in the UK cover periods of 50 - 100 years. The Government is looking at other longer term or even indefinite options, one being geological disposal facilities (GDF), which are an engineered containment facility deep inside a suitable rock formation at a depth of 200 - 1,000 metres (m). Solutions for such wastes are considered at the national level. Northamptonshire does not produce higher activity wastes.  
• Low level waste (LLW) can be disposed of at near surface facilities. Very Low Level Wastes (VLLW) is a sub-category of LLW. Waste at the lower activity range may not require the level of engineering and containment provided by the Low Level Waste Repository (LLWR) at Drigg in Cumbria and could be disposed of via alternative routes, such as disposal to existing landfill including non-inert landfill⁷ (where permitted for such activities).

The UK Radioactive Waste Inventory provides information on radioactive waste and material in stock and estimated future arisings. The inventory also identifies waste arisings from individual sites. Northamptonshire does not produce radioactive waste from the nuclear industry. A survey undertaken by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) in 2008, Data Collection on Solid Low Level Radioactive Waste from the Non-nuclear Sector, indicated that Northamptonshire produced 34 m3 of (lower activity) LLW from the non-nuclear industry.

Although LLW makes up the majority (90%) of the UK’s total volume of radioactive waste it contains only a very small amount of the total radioactivity (less than 0.01%) (NDA 2013). The majority of the UK's solid LLW is managed by LLWR Ltd and either disposed of at the LLWR or diverted along alternative routes. The LLWR gained planning permission in 2016 for an additional disposal capacity of 263,000 m3 of LLW, until 2045. The useful lifetime of this site could be extended by using other approaches for managing waste at the lower end of the LLW activity range (such as incineration, metals recycling and alternative disposal). This is likely to result in the site being able to meet future disposal needs.

The predicted volume of LLW arising between 2016 - 2030 is 289,420 m3, with an additional 90,000 m3 of VLLW (average of 6,000 m3 per annum) in the period up to 2030; totalling approximately 379,420 m3 (NDA 2013). The majority of this would be building rubble, soil and steel items from decommissioning of existing reactors and other facilities and site remediation. It is estimated that total UK arisings from the non-nuclear industry are very unlikely to exceed 100,000 m3 per year; survey results suggest that the majority of this can be attributed to the medical and research sectors. NORM waste arising from the oil and gas industries (e.g. from the decommissioning of oil and gas rigs) is currently not quantified, but significant quanities could arise for disposal in the future.

There are very few facilities currently available within the UK to dispose of LLW, one of these is the ENRMF in Kings Cliffe, Northamptonshire, others include Clifton Marsh in Lancashire and Lillyhall in Cumbria. The ENRMF is also used to dispose of hazardous wastes and treat contaminated soils, for which it has a national catchment area.

Data captured through operator returns indicates that of the total arisings (MSW, C&I, CD&E and hazardous wastes) for Northamptonshire around 80% was treated or disposed of within the county with the remainder exported to surrounding authorities. Note that some of the waste exported was ‘not codeable’ i.e. its destination was not traced, hence a portion of this may have been retained within Northamptonshire (this portion is gradually being reduced as reporting measures improve). This data also indicated that Northamptonshire is a net importer of waste – importing twice as much as it exports. 

The total permitted ⁸ waste management and disposal capacity within the County (as at 2016) is 7.27 Mtpa, this is broken down by the various methods in Table 5 below.

Hazardous treatment (soil treatment) and hazardous waste disposal capacity is provided at the nationally significant ENRMF; which is also used to dispose of LLW. Under the ENRMF Order 2013, which came into force on 31 July 2013 and expires 31 December 2026, the site has permission to treat up to 0.15 Mtpa of contaminated materials comprising predominantly hazardous wastes and dispose of hazardous waste and LLW at a direct input rate of up to 0.15 Mtpa. The combined total amount of waste that can be imported to the site per annum cannot exceed 0.25 Mtpa. The total amount of LLW that can be disposed of at the site (up to 31 December 2026) is 0.448 Mt or an average of 0.045 Mtpa.

Waste management, in terms of planning for facilities, is increasingly becoming similar to that for general industrial facilities, in that proposals come forward as a consequence of site finding and progression through the development control process by industry stakeholders in response to market drivers; largely outside of the plan-making process. Given the dynamic environment that the waste management industry operates in it is considered that attempting to identify all of the sites (including scale and facility type) required throughout the plan period would be unwise as this would be overly prescriptive and inflexible. This may prevent good sites identified outside the plan-making process from being implemented and may prove to stifle innovation and uptake of emerging technologies. However, it is useful to identify the capacity gap and the broad range of facilities that may be required to fill this gap; providing guidance for both industry and the community alike. 

The local waste forecasts were used as a guide for future waste management and disposal capacity requirements and identifying the capacity gap between current and future requirements. The capacity gap is the difference between the current permitted capacity and the capacity required at the end of the plan period. 

In line with the requirements set out under Article 28 of the Waste Framework Directive (concerning Waste Management Plans) the analysis of capacity requirements also included how the current waste management and disposal capacities will change over time in response to the closure of existing waste management and disposal facilities and the need for additional waste installation infrastructure. The Council undertook a survey to identify the need for the closure of existing waste management and disposal facilities; the result of which were inconclusive. As closure dates for sites within Northamptonshire were not disclosed to the Council the end date of the current planning permissions has been used (detailed in Appendix 4). A couple of waste operators did indicate that their sites may be ‘mothballed’ at some point in the near future for an unknown period, as no date was given it has been assumed that this may occur in the short-term, i.e. the next five years (by 2018). This has been taken into consideration in this process. 

Where planning permission expires within the plan period there will be a commensurate decline in the available waste management and / or disposal capacity. This will require (where found to be appropriate through the development assessment process) either the development of additional waste management and / or disposal facilities, expansion of existing facility(ies) or an extension in time to the planning permission. 

Further details regarding the analysis of capacity requirements, waste arisings and the effect of closures and expiry of planning permissions (including a comparison against forecast waste arisings by broad management type) is set out in the Local Assessment of Waste Management Needs. This information will be updated and monitored through the MWMR. 

Indicative capacity requirements for management and disposal for the plan period are detailed below.  

The permitted capacity ⁹ for waste management and disposal is sufficient to meet Northamptonshire’s current requirements with the exception of non-inert landfill and advanced treatment. Mid-way through the plan period (2021) the permitted capacity for (non-inert) recycling, biological processing, inert recovery / landfill, hazardous landfill and hazardous treatment are sufficient. By the end of the plan period (2031) (non-inert) recycling, biological processing and hazardous treatment have sufficient capacity. This means that, for these particular management methods Northamptonshire is net self-sufficient. Overall the total permitted capacity is sufficient to meet Northamptonshires needs up to the end of the plan period. This reflects the fact that Northamptonshire, as a net importer of waste, has developed capacity greater than its own needs for several specific waste management methods. There is a significant excess in permitted capacity within Northamptonshire for (non-inert) recycling capacity, biological processing and hazardous waste treatment.

Where particular management methods have been shown to be sufficient through the plan period, or for part thereof, proposals would have to demonstrate how the proposal promotes the development of a sustainable waste network and facilitates delivery of the County’s waste management capacity requirements (as per Policy 10). Where this capacity would be surplus to our requirements it would be prudent to demonstrate a wider need for the facility and that the benefits for the receiving environment (including the community) outweigh potentially adverse impacts of the county acting as a net importer of waste, e.g. such as impacts on sustainable transport. This reinforces the importance of communities taking more responsibility for their waste and encouraging sustainable transport movements (and in doing so identifying the origin of waste being managed within the county).

The following indicative capacity gaps have been identified by the end of the plan period (2031):

• inert recycling 0.31 Mtpa,
• hazardous recycling 0.02 Mtpa,
• advanced treatment 0.53 Mtpa,
• non-inert landfill 0.67-0.85 Mtpa, 
• inert landfill 0.14 Mtpa, and
• hazardous landfill 0.006-0.02 Mtpa

A range of different facilities of various types and sizes will be required to manage waste produced within Northamptonshire and ensure that waste is moved up the waste management hierarchy; maximising the recovery of resources. The indicative waste management and disposal capacity requirements suggest that there are opportunities for increased capacity for recycling of inert and hazardous wastes as well as advanced treatment and disposal to landfill of mixed (MSW, C&I and CD&E) and hazardous wastes at various stages during the plan period. 

Identifying potential combinations of facilities can help to demonstrate the range of facilities that may be required to support sustainable communities and move towards a low carbon economy. As a rough indication¹⁰, the capacity requirements could see a need for up to five inert recycling and two advanced treatment facilities as well as facilities for inert recovery / disposal and non-inert disposal (in addition to current committments). This is an example only and should be treated with caution - the waste industry and management technologies are dynamic and being overly prescriptive may stifle innovation and uptake of emerging technologies.

The Waste Framework Directive seeks the clear identification of allocated sites, in addition the NPPW states that WPAs should identify sites and/or areas for new or enhanced waste management facilities in appropriate locations. This Local Plan therefore attempts, in the interest of flexibility and deliverability, to strike a balance between identifying allocations and also allowing unallocated sites to come forward. Consequently the Local Plan seeks to secure delivery of the indicative capacity requirements in two ways: (1) identification of specific industrial locations where waste management uses would be acceptable in principle along with sites for waste management facilities; and (2) identification of locally specific policies on which the acceptability of proposals for waste-related development that come forward on unallocated sites can be determined.

This Local Plan does not specifically include commitments (i.e. sites with planning permission or equivalent) for waste-related development. However, these commitments make a fundamental contribution in delivering the waste infrastructure that will enable the treatment of Northamptonshire’s waste to 2031, and for the Local Plan to meet its objectives. It should be noted that the Local Plan seeks to safeguard waste sites from alternative non-waste uses through Policy 29.

Commitments in the county are identified in Appendix 4, and include sites for:

• Waste management (non-inert and inert),
• Non-inert waste disposal,
• Inert waste disposal,
• Hazardous waste management and disposal,
• LALLW disposal, and
• Sewage and waste water treatment. 

Proposals for extensions or change in waste-related development on the committed sites (and on other sites on which planning permission for waste use has been subsequently granted) must be in accordance with the Local Plan policies. However, it is accepted that being commitments confers a favourable status on these sites for a continuation of a waste use where this meets the intent of the Local Plan strategy and policies, and is also in accordance with national planning policy. 

A sustainable waste management network requires both primary and advanced waste management facilities. This in turn should reflect both the catchment area and functional role. These should also go to locations where investment can be optimised and sustainable development can occur. More significant facilities for waste management should also seek to create higher value waste management related jobs at the respective facility. The key driver for the location of these facilities will be their relationship to what this Local Plan defines as Northamptonshire’s central spine. 

Northamptonshire’s waste management network will be developed to incorporate a centralised distribution of advanced treatment facilities supported by a network of local and neighbourhood preliminary treatment facilities. These facilities should be co-located together and with other forms of complementary development where appropriate, for example commercial, industrial or residential development. In interpreting the spatial strategy for waste management reference should be made to the locational hierarchy, catchment areas and functional role in relation to facilities.  

The main urban areas of the county extend from Northampton in the west to Corby in the north-east, and encompass Wellingborough, Rushden / Higham Ferrers and Kettering and also the smaller towns of Irthlingborough, Burton Latimer, Rothwell and Desborough. Although these urban areas vary in both size and role, together they comprise a central spine of urban locations within which the majority of facilities should be sited.  

Significant integrated facilities and the majority of advanced treatment facilities should be located within the central spine. Preliminary facilities that serve the central spine and its hinterlands, and which are compatible with or complementary to urban development, should also be provided within these areas. As an emerging sub-regional centre, and a secondary focus for growth in the county, Daventry should also be a focus for advanced and preliminary treatment facilities.  

Within the central spine and the sub-regional centre of Daventry, both areas of general industrial use and areas of significant new residential and commercial development would be the favoured locations for such development. Indeed the co-location of advanced and preliminary waste management facilities with complimentary activities within major areas of new development, such as urban extensions, would also not only be encouraged, but in most cases expected.  

Preliminary facilities that would feed into the advanced treatment facilities in the central spine will be encouraged in the rural service centres of Brackley, Oundle, Raunds, Thrapston and Towcester. Locations such as general industrial areas and any new development areas would be the preferable locations within these rural service centres.  

Facilities provided for within the rural hinterlands should have a local or neighbourhood catchment and should mainly be for preliminary treatment. Facilities located within the rural hinterlands may also include those whose siting is incompatible with, or not complementary to, urban development; for example due to facility operational requirements (such as in the case of anaerobic digestion). In such circumstance, the facility should deal with waste generated from identified urban centres and be appropriately located to serve those centres. 

Facilities within urban areas should generally be located within industrial areas or co-located with new residential and commercial development. Facilities in rural areas should where possible be linked to existing employment uses.  

Waste generated in the rural hinterlands will normally be expected to go to the most appropriate facilities within the respective catchment for the waste for treatment. Depending on where this is generated this will either be provided in the urban areas of the central spine, the sub-regional centre of Daventry or the rural service centres. However rural areas on the fringes of the county could be served by their functional equivalents in neighbouring areas outside the county: Milton Keynes, Banbury, Rugby, Market Harborough and Stamford.  

The development in Northamptonshire of facilities with a national or regional catchment area are only considered appropriate where these would be of a specialised nature, with a genuine specialist catchment area for the waste to be managed. 

Neighbourhood waste management facilities associated with new development will be expected to be provided within urban extensions in the central spine and Daventry, and areas of new development at the rural service centres such as Towcester. 

As a first priority any proposal for a non-inert waste management facility must support the spatial strategy and promote the development of a sustainable waste management network in Northamptonshire. Proposals within the Central Spine should also demonstrate how the development affects the overall distribution of Northamptonshire’s waste management network, and helps to balance out the distribution of waste development within the county.

Proposals must also demonstrate a specific need for the facility, specifically addressing the intended functional role and catchment area. All proposals should identify both the intended functional role and catchment area of facilities included in the proposed development.

The intended functional role of facilities should be considered within the broader context of creating a sustainable waste management network within Northamptonshire. The intended functional role and the contribution that the development makes towards the waste management capacity requirements should be clearly set out in the proposal. Proposals should also demonstrate that there is a clearly identified market base for the waste outputs, and that the intended catchment area for the facility is in general conformity with the principle of managing waste close to its source. In this regard the operation of the facility should minimise transportation of waste from its source, and collect and recover waste in the most efficient way possible. Specifically regarding advanced treatment facilities, proposals must ensure that waste has undergone preliminary treatment prior to advanced treatment. 

All proposals, particularly those for advanced treatment, should aim to integrate and co-locate facilities together and with complementary activities. Proposals should also seek to maximise opportunities to integrate the re-use of energy, heat and residues. 

The development of non-inert waste management facilities should maximise the use of previously developed (brownfield), despoiled or redundant sites. Proposals for non-inert waste management facilities on greenfield or previously undeveloped sites will be required to demonstrate a need for the facility at that specific location 

Determination of proposals for non-inert waste management will be made in line with Policy 12.

Development principles and allocations for inert waste management facilties are set out under ‘secondary and recycled materials’. 

In line with national and European requirements for plans to give clear locational guidance on where waste uses should be sited, the Local Plan adds to the guidance provided through the spatial strategy by also identifying on the Policies Map specific industrial locations where waste uses would be acceptable in principle. These 21 detailed industrial locations are also supplemented by two site specific allocations for integrated waste management facilities. Proposals elsewhere in Northamptonshire can also come forward through the planning application process as appropriate.

All proposals should be in line with the strategy and policies of the Local Plan.

It is important to note that the allocation of sites and the identification of locations within this Local Plan does not equate to the grant of planning permission. 

All proposals should identify both the catchment area and functional role of facilities included in the proposed development. Catchment areas identified within Northamptonshire include national, regional, sub-regional, local and neighbourhood. Different facilities and / or types of wastes managed on one site may have different catchment areas. Further guidance on catchments areas is given in the Development and Implementation Principles SPD.

Within the central spine and sub-regional centre the spatial strategy for waste management states that the preferred locations for urban-located waste management uses will be general industrial areas or areas of significant residential and commercial development. General industrial areas within which waste management uses would be acceptable in principle are identified in Policy 13. Such areas may be suitable for advanced treatment facilities subject to compliance with other policies in the Plan.

Industrial areas, or parts thereof, not identified (as well as other industrial areas in the central spine, sub-regional centre and rural service centre locations) are not ruled out through this policy but do not have the same ‘in principle’ support. This is because they are not predominantly general industrial areas (i.e. they also comprise such uses as B1 offices, retail or large distribution warehouses), or the extent of the industrial area is small in comparison with other industrial areas in the urban area.

Sites for integrated waste management facilities are those on which an integrated facility should be sited, and which would comprise either a mix of advanced and preliminary treatment facilities, or a mix of preliminary treatment facilities. Two sites are specifically allocated within the central spine that have the potential to accommodate integrated waste management facilities; one at Northampton and one at Corby (Policy 13).

Both sites already have a waste-related use or planning permission for such a use (as at 1 January 2016). The Northampton - East site was historically used for waste water treatment purposes, but lies outside of the current operational boundaries of the waste water treatment works. Permission was recently granted to use part of the northern half of the site for a waste-related use. The Corby allocation comprises two adjacent sites in different ownership; this site is also considered appropriate (in principle) to include an in-vessel composting or anaerobic digestion facility.

The capacity of facilities coming forward at these two locations cannot be fully calculated until planning applications relating to them are made and determined.

It is essential that adequate sewage and waste water infrastructure is in place prior to development taking place in order to avoid unacceptable impacts on the environment, such as sewage flooding residential or commercial properties, or the pollution of land and watercourses. 

In some cases it may not be possible to extend an existing site due to physical constraints (i.e. additional plant may not be able to fit within the existing site boundary). 

The location of new Sewage Treatment Works (STWs) is often constrained by the need to be in proximity to a watercourse that is able to receive effluent discharge, however this should have regard to the spatial strategy for waste management (Policy 11). In addition it is often preferable for STWs to be located away from residential development to ensure potential environmental health impacts (e.g. odour) are minimised.

The Local Plan does not allocate new sewage and waste water sites or extensions to existing sites. Where an increase in sewage and waste water treatment capacity is required to serve existing or proposed development in accordance with the adopted Development Plan, or in the interests of long term waste water management such development (including extensions) will normally be permitted where in compliance with relevant policies of this Local Plan, particularly Policy 18 (note that Policy 12 does not apply to sewage and waste water treatment). There may be some potential for sewage treatment sites to accommodate other waste management facilities or joint arrangements such as co-composting or anaerobic digestion which utilise household waste and sewage sludge.

Disposal is the least preferred option, but one that must be adequately catered for in order to manage wastes prior to the provision of new advanced treatment facilities and to cater for residual wastes for which there is no alternative management method available. Moves towards alternative waste management methods will significantly reduce the quantity of waste requiring disposal to landfill but a requirement will remain. 

There is uncertainty regarding: the impact of legislative and financial instruments (particularly relating to C&I and inert wastes); cross-boundary and wider waste movements; difficulty in determining exact recovery rates; and the volume of residual waste requiring disposal. It is therefore difficult to ascertain the space required for future landfill with any precision. Nonetheless, estimated residual waste arisings have been calculated for the plan period and are included in the indicative capacity requirements (refer Tables 6 and 7).

As a first priority any proposal for a waste disposal facility must promote the development of a sustainable waste management network in Northamptonshire ensuring that only residual wastes are disposed of. Proposals must also robustly justify a need for the facility and specifically address the indicative capacity requirements and the intended catchment area. 

Non-inert disposal facilities have not been specifically identified through the spatial strategy for waste management. However, in view of the degree of uncertainty and the limited existing void availability, careful monitoring will be required, and suitable sites allocated to enable provision to be made at the right time. Where it can be clearly demonstrated that additional landfill capacity for residual wastes should be provided, preference would be for an extension to an existing site. In addition, proposals for development on a committed non-inert disposal site should not prejudice the permitted waste use unless it can be clearly demonstrated that it is no longer required at that location. However, it should not be assumed that because a particular area has hosted, or hosts, waste disposal facilities that it is appropriate to add to these or extend their life. 

Landfill sites that are outside of urban areas (or future boundaries of urban areas) should be restored to a non-waste management use once they have completed their landfill role. However, in certain circumstances a specific case for their continuance in some other waste management role could be considered on the basis of the spatial strategy for waste management and other policies in the Local Plan. 

Determination of proposals for non-inert waste disposal will be made in line with Policy 15.

No disposal facilities for non-inert waste have been allocated in this Local Plan. Proposals for additional capacity will be required to conform to relevant policies in the Local Plan. 

The expectation is that disposal of inert waste (also known as clean fill) will normally be at currently worked mineral extraction sites, where the material can be used as much needed restoration material. As at 1 January 2016 there was broadly 9 Mt of material required to restore sites currently worked or with a planning permission (granted or agreed). Therefore preference would be for disposal or recovery of inert wastes to support the restoration of committed or allocated mineral extraction sites rather than alternative proposals that would prejudice such restoration.

Additional capacity for disposal should normally only be provided by existing commitments, and through sites allocated for mineral extraction where inert waste will be used as restoration material (inert / clean fill).

New sites, or extensions to existing sites, should not be permitted where this does not involve restoration of former mineral workings. However, there may be occasion when this is not practicable, surplus waste is available for disposal by other means (such as for engineering or agricultural works) or there are alternative beneficial uses for the disposal of inert waste (such as land reclamation). In such cases proposals will need to show that significant amounts of material are not being diverted away from, and would not prejudice restoration of, mineral sites. In addition, applicants will be expected to demonstrate that there is a clear justification for the use of the inert material for the type of works proposed. 

It is acknowledged that in some cases the depositing of inert waste onto land may constitute recovery. Any proposals for such activities must satisfy regulatory guidance¹¹.

¹¹ Environmental Permitting Regulations 2010 Regulatory Guidance (EPR13), Defining waste recovery: Permanent deposit of waste on land. 

Determination of proposals for inert waste disposal and recovery will be made in line with Policy 16.

Inert waste disposal facilities have not been specifically identified through the spatial strategy for waste management. No inert waste disposal facilities have been allocated in this Local Plan. Proposals for additional capacity will be required to conform to relevant policies in the Local Plan. 

The ENRMF provides for hazardous waste management and disposal and is recognised as being of national signficance, equating to a national catchment. Given its significance it is important that the best use is made of the facility and that its primary role is maintained. Whilst it is accepted that the specialised nature of the industry and market economics will not lead to a number of such sites in every region, there is a concern that the current disposition of facilities is leading to an undersupply of facilities in the wider London and South East.  

On this basis the focus of the role of the ENRMF should be one where: (a) its current particular national specialisms in hazardous waste are maintained; and (b) its primary role continues to support the wider management of hazardous waste, subject to any extant planning permission. 

Proposals for additional capacity will be required to, in addition to the priorities set out above, robustly justify the specialism of the facility, this should be linked to the need and intended catchment area. The proposal should not prejudice the permitted waste use unless it can be clearly demonstrated that it is no longer required at that location. It should not be assumed that because a particular area has hosted, or hosts, waste disposal facilities that it is appropriate to add to these or extend their life. 

Determination of proposals for hazardous waste management and disposal will be made in line with Policy 12 and Policy 15 respectively.

Facilities for hazardous waste management and disposal have not been specifically identified through the spatial strategy for waste management, nor have sites been allocated in this Local Plan. Proposals for additional capacity will be required to conform to relevant policies in the Local Plan. 

LLW can be managed via alternative routes (i.e. other than the LLWR at Drigg), the Policy for the Long Term Management of Solid Low Level Radioactive Waste in the United Kingdom (2007) allows for the disposal of some types of LLW to landfill, including: controlled burials of LLW and high volume very low level waste (VLLW). VLLW is a sub-category of LLW. Such landfills could include non-inert landfill, the disposal of such waste to landfill is regulated by the EA under the Environmental Permitting Regulations. The Policy for LLW 2007 sets out the need for early, transparent and iterative engagement with communities which may be impacted (including any host community in the vicinity of a treatment or disposal facility) during the preparation of the nuclear site(s) waste management plan. The UK Strategy for the Management of Solid Low Level Radioactive Waste from the Nuclear Industry 2016 identifies a set of key principles, central to which are the development of appropriate LLW management plans, implementation of the waste hierarchy, application of Best Available Techniques (BAT), appropriate engagement with stakeholders, availability of robust information to support decision making, regulation, development of new routes / approaches to LLW management and the availability of infrastructure. The Strategy recognises that it is essential to undertake careful and considered engagement with local communities early in the waste management planning and decision making process, particularly where the implementation of this strategy leads to proposals for new waste management facilities or changes in the approach to LLW management. Such engagement needs to be open and transparent in order to build confidence and credibility. The Strategy also outlines sharing of this responsibility between organisations involved in the implementation of the Strategy. The Local Plan supports the national policy direction.

BAT is a key principle of the European Union Industrial Emissions Directive 2010/75, the UK Strategy for LLW and is a requirement of the Environmental Permitting process. BAT review complements the preparation of waste management plans for generators of radioactive wastes, including nuclear sites, and is prepared by the waste producer / consignor. The BAT review assesses the management options available and seeks to ensure that the waste producer optimises operations in order to reduce and keep exposures from the disposal of radioactive waste into the environment as low as reasonably achievable (As Low As Reasonably Achievable, ALARA¹²), and that economic and social factors are taken into consideration. The BAT review includes consideration of the disposal options for LLW that cannot be managed by means higher up the waste hierarchy including identification of the nearest appropriate installation (including on-site disposal) taking into account the nature of the waste and suitability of waste disposal facilities.

¹²ALARA is a radiation safety principle for minimising radiation doses and releases of radioactive materials by employing all reasonable methods.

LLW (at the lower activity range) is currently disposed of at the ENRMF, this facilities primary role is hazardous waste disposal (and treatment) for which it has a national catchment area. The disposal of LLW generally does not require the same level of engineering as a hazardous landfill (LLW may be disposed of at permitted non-inert landfills). It is important to note that the diposal of LLW at permitted non-inert landfills does not mean that the dose and risk standards which apply to the disposal of LLW have changed.

National policy is for LLW to be managed and / or disposed of in a manner that satisfies the waste hierarchy and enables waste to be disposed of in one of the nearest appropriate installations. Proposals for the management/disposal of LLW, in addition to the priorities set out above, must demonstrate that the proposal satisfies national requirements (including relevant guidance, strategies and policies) and supports sustainable development (including sustainble transport movements)¹³. Where a proposal for disposal involves co-location at a committed site, the disposal of LLW should not predjudice the existing waste use unless it can be clearly demonstrated that it is no longer required at that location. Determination of proposals for radioactive waste disposal will be made in line with Policy 17 and other relevant Local Plan policies.

Facilities for radioactive waste management, including disposal, have not been specifically identified through the spatial strategy for waste management, nor have sites been allocated in this Local Plan. 

The hierarchy of areas for locating waste management facilities are defined as:

• Central spine – in or related to the principal urban area of Northampton; in or related to the urban areas of Corby, Kettering, Wellingborough and Rushden / Higham Ferrers; in or related to the central spine service centres of Burton Latimer, Irthlingborough, Rothwell and Desborough; in or related to other built up local service centres within the central spine between Northampton and Corby.
• Sub-regional centre – in or related to Daventry.
• Rural service centres – in or related to Brackley, Oundle, Raunds, Thrapston and Towcester.
• Rural hinterlands – the rest of Northamptonshire.  

It has been recognised that a variety of different types and sizes of facilities distributed throughout the county will be required to deal appropriately with the different types of waste produced, and to establish a sustainable waste management network. Facilities which perform a similar role have been categorised into a hierarchy for the purpose of this Local Plan.  

The functional role of waste management and disposal facilities are defined as:

• Preliminary treatment – Includes civic amenity sites and household waste recycling centre’s, material recycling facilities, composting (open windrow / in-vessel), anaerobic digestion (without energy recovery), mechanical biological / heat treatment, inert processing, other recycling facilities and waste transfer stations.
• Advanced treatment – Includes thermal, pyrolysis, gasification, plasma arc, other waste to energy processes and other emerging advanced technologies.
• Inert waste recovery – Deposit of inert waste onto land may constitute recovery where this is in compliance with regulatory guidance.
• Disposal –Deposit of waste to landfill or landraise.
• Sewage and waste water treatment – Includes sewage and waste water treatment plants. 

Due to its geographic location, surrounded by ten other county and unitary authorities, Northamptonshire has no specific socio-economic alignment to surrounding areas. In seeking to provide for net self-sufficiency regarding our waste management and disposal capacity requirements it is important to recognise that, given our spatial context and our existing role as a logistics and distribution hub, the potential exists for the county to become a waste hub. Despite the waste management industry becoming more technology based and also a higher value industry than previously, it is not considered appropriate given sustainability issues for Northamptonshire to take on a role as a key sub-national location for waste management (and disposal) facilities 

It is considered necessary to reinforce this through practical implementation measures such as the application of specific catchment areas for individual facilities. This approach recognises that cross-boundary movements are likely to occur but should be consistent with enabling waste to be managed and disposed of as close to its source as possible, and kept to a minimum where possible. As a consequence Northamptonshire should be able to better plan for sustainable waste management and disposal in the county as it does not need to specifically provide for waste generated from other areas. 

Urban areas are typically densely populated. Facilities serving communities, commercial premises and industry within urban areas should be able to capture an adequate amount of waste (to support the required operational throughput) if the facility is well placed in relation to its market. Many other industries and commercial enterprises operate on a similar basis. However, some waste management facilities can have a highly specialised role that means they have a larger catchment area extending beyond the county. Such specialisms need to be addressed so that they are not unnecessarily constrained. 

Proposals for waste development will need to specify the intended catchment area. This will assist the WPA in determining the extent to which a proposal supports the development of sustainable communities which take responsibility for the waste they produce. 

To this end broad catchment areas have been identified. Catchment areas identified for the purpose of this Local Plan include national, regional, sub-regional, local and neighbourhood. 

Proposals must identify the relevant catchment area(s) and demonstrate how this is linked to the waste to be managed on the site; this should be clearly shown on an indicative map to accompany the planning application. Integrated waste management facilities may require a range of waste types from different catchment areas in order to satisfy the operational requirements of the individual facilities present onsite; the differentation between what types of waste fall within each catchment area will need to be identified. 

Catchment areas are to be defined against the following criteria:

National –

• Waste to be managed on site originates from within England or an equivalent geographical area within Great Britain.
• The facility is of a specialised nature specifically relating to the waste to be managed or the nature of the processes involved; on the basis of its specialised role the facility is one of very few of its type nationally (or identified area).
• Waste to be managed does not include untreated / unsorted municipal¹⁴, CD&E or green waste.
• The facility supports the waste hierarchy and is not for the disposal of waste, unless disposal forms the last available option.

Regional –

• Waste to be managed on site originates from within the East Midlands or an equivalent geographical area.
• The facility is of a specialised nature specifically relating to the waste to be managed or the nature of the processes involved.  
• Waste to be managed does not include untreated / unsorted municipal¹⁵, CD&E or green waste.
• The facility supports the waste hierarchy and is not for the disposal of waste, unless disposal forms the last available option.

Sub-regional –

• Waste to be managed on site originates from within Northamptonshire or an equivalent geographical area.
• May include a wide variety of waste types including municipal, CD&E and green waste.
• The facility supports the waste hierarchy and is not for the disposal of waste, unless this is the last available option.

Local –

• Waste to be managed on site originates from within up to two adjacent local planning authority areas or an equivalent geographical area.
• The facility is intended to serve either an urban area and its immediate rural hinterland, or be located in a rural area for the purpose of dealing with agricultural and / or similar wastes produced locally.
• The facility should be for preliminary treatment, however in certain circumstances may be for advanced treatment.
• The facility supports the waste hierarchy and is not for the disposal of waste.

Neighbourhood –

• Waste to be managed on site originates from within an urban extension, a commercial or industrial area, or one or more rural settlements in close proximity to one another.
• The facility supports the waste hierarchy and is not for the disposal of waste.

The identification of catchment areas is important as this approach will allow the WPA to determine where waste that is being treated within the County is coming from, and subsequently if there is sufficient waste management and disposal capacity within the County. It is essential to seek to avoid waste travelling unsustainable distances; the catchment area approach is an important tool to secure this objective. In this manner catchment areas are not intended to form a development constraint. This information will inform the planning application decision-making process and feed into the Local Plan monitoring framework. 

Additional guidance on catchment areas for waste management and disposal facilities is set out in the Development and Implementation Principles SPD.