Call for mineral working opportunities

To inform the next Local Plan for Shropshire, we're undertaking a ‘Call for mineral working opportunities’ from 10 July 2025 to 2 October 2025.

The purpose of this is to provide landowners, site promoters, businesses, organisations, operators and any other interested parties the opportunity to promote land for mineral working.

These land promotions can consist of specific site opportunities with known mineral resources, general areas with known mineral resources, or general areas where there are potential mineral resources.

The main types of minerals present and worked in Shropshire are sand and gravel aggregates, crushed rock aggregates, building stone, and brick / fire clay.

It's important that you promote land through this process if you consider that it has known or potential mineral resources, the potential for mineral working, and wish for it to be considered as a specific mineral site allocation, preferred area for mineral working with known mineral resources, or a general area of search with the potential for mineral working where there are potential mineral resources.

Please don't assume that land will be considered because you've previously promoted it to the council.

How to promote land

If you wish to promote a site, please complete the mineral working opportunities promotion form. You'll also need to provide appropriate site location plans and any relevant supporting material. Completed forms can be submitted to planningpolicy@shropshire.gov.uk

If you're unable to submit this information via email, it can be posted to Planning Policy, Shropshire Council, PO BOX 4826, Shrewsbury, SY1 9LJ. However, it's not necessary to submit copies by both email and post.

What happens to promoted land?

Land promoted through this process will be reviewed by the council through a site assessment process. This process will include consideration of site opportunities and constraints – examples of key factors to be considered through this process are included on the constraints map. Importantly, this process will also include consideration of infrastructure needs and capacity.

In due course, all submissions and the site assessment undertaken will be made publicly available on this website.

Please note that not all promoted sites will be proposed for allocation within the next Local Plan as a mineral site allocation, preferred area for mineral working with known mineral resources, or general area of search with the potential for mineral working where there are potential mineral resources. Furthermore, not all promoted land will be supported as planning applications.

Frequently asked questions

Why undertake a 'call for mineral working opportunities’?

It's important that the council understands the locations of land with known or potential mineral resources that are potentially available for mineral working. This will inform decisions on the need to identify locations for mineral working, and if so the proposed approach for doing so, in the next Local Plan – reflecting constraints, opportunities, and infrastructure needs and capacity.

Who can submit land?

The process is open to all: landowners, site promoters, businesses, organisations, operators and any other interested parties.

However, if you don't own the land you'll need to specify who does and whether they support the land promotion.

Do I need to use the site promotion form?

The form ensures that all necessary information is provided and will support the timely review of land by the council. As such, we don't encourage promotions in other formats.

Will all land promoted through this process be allocated as a mineral working site, identified as a preferred area for mineral working, or identified as a general area of search for mineral working?

No, not all promoted land will be proposed for allocation within the next Local Plan. Furthermore, not all promoted land will be supported as planning applications.

What happens if land promotions overlap?

Some parcels of land may be submitted to the council by more than one promoter, or the land promoter may wish for different components of a site to be considered separately. This won't affect the assessment process undertaken for the land.

When will the public see sites promoted during the call for mineral working opportunities?

All land promoted, and the assessment process undertaken, will be made publicly available on this website in due course. Specific timescales will depend on the number of land promotions received.

Can anyone comment on land promoted through the call for mineral working opportunities?

We're not inviting comments from other parties on lsnd promoted through this process. However, informed by the subsequent assessment process and other relevant evidence, we'll start to develop proposals for inclusion in the next Local Plan. This includes in relation to the need to identify locations for mineral working, and the proposed approach to doing so at those locations. We're keen to hear thoughts on these proposals as part of the next Local Plan, with the first formal stage of consultation scheduled to commence in October 2026.

Can anyone comment on the mineral working assessment process?

We're not inviting comments on our site assessment process yet. However, it will be made publicly available as part of the evidence base that informs proposals within the next Local Plan. We're keen to hear thoughts on these proposals, with the first formal stage of consultation on the next Local Plan scheduled to commence in October 2026.

What are the next steps?

All land promoted during this process will be considered through the subsequent assessment process. Informed by the assessment process and other relevant evidence, we'll start to develop proposals for inclusion in the next Local Plan. We're keen to hear thoughts on these proposals, with the first formal stage of consultation on the next Local Plan scheduled to commence in October 2026.