Services to Local Authorties and Regulators

The existence of an old mineral planning permission does not necessarily indicate that the remaining deposit is commercially viable or that extraction will ever recommence. To avoid the risk of a compensation claim, a Mineral Planning Authority should ensure that the minerals have no value before terminating an old permission in a location which would not now be granted consent due to subsequent environmental restrictions.  A commercial evaluation by a Chartered Mineral Surveyor can provide the evidence base for a local planning authority to remove old consents without risk of a significant compensation claim against the authority for loss of development rights.

Monitoring compliance with mineral planning conditions is an essential requirement of a mineral planning authority's duty to manage sustainable mineral development. Planning officers experienced in mineral development are in short supply, with increasingly fewer recruits choosing to enter this specialist area. Our Chartered Mineral Surveyors have considerable experience in monitoring mineral planning permission conditions on behalf of our mineral owning clients.  If your Authority requires assistance in compliance monitoring, we would be pleased to assist. 

Many old mineral planning permissions have an unexpired term extending to 2042. Some old permissions, for example in National Parks, are in areas so sensitive that, even with modern conditions, extraction is considered unacceptable. The loss of development rights will trigger a compensation claim by the landowner and/or their operator tenant.  A commercial assessment by a Chartered Minerals Surveyor will assist the Authority in making reasonable provision for a claim where removing development rights is considered to be in the public interest. 

Mineral extraction sites can be both complex and hazardous environments.  If your Authority requires a site inspection report to confirm the current condition of a minerals extraction site, our experienced Chartered Minerals Surveyors can provide a surveyor’s report to meet your requirements.

MSA Chartered Minerals Surveyors can provide Expert Witness and Expert Witness Advisory reports on all aspects of minerals property management, ownership, and extraction (current and historic).