In September 2004 the Government's Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act came into effect, putting in place a new planning policy framework.  This replaces the old system of structure and local plans.

The Cambridgeshire Minerals and Waste Development Framework will comprise a number of documents, which together will set out the County Council's spatial strategy for future minerals and waste development.  In addition it will also set out arrangements for involving the community and stakeholders in plan making and decisions on major planning applications. It will also set out annual monitoring arrangements.

The new Minerals and Waste Framework will consist of;

• The Cambridgeshire Minerals and Waste Development Scheme - setting out details of what documents are to be prepared and timescales and arrangements for production. This document has already been prepared
• The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Minerals and Waste Development Plan - setting out spatial planning policies that guide decision making on minerals and waste development in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough up to the period 2021
• Cambridgshire Statement of Community Involvement - setting out how communities and stakeholders will be involved in the process of preparing plans and determining major planning applications
• The Location and Design of Major Waste Management Facilities (Supplementary Planning Document) - providing advice for developers, landowners and planners on determining the appropriate locations and design of major waste management facilities
• Annual Monitoring Report - setting out our progress on producing documents and implementing policies and, until superseded  by new policies;
• Saved policies in the existing Structure Plan and Minerals and Waste Local Plans - i.e. the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Structure Plan 2003, Cambridgeshire Aggregates (Minerals) Local Plan 1991 and the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Waste Local Plan 2003

In addition at regional level there is a Regional Spatial Strategy for the East of England. This is currently being prepared and will provide strategic guidance that the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Minerals and Waste Plan must comply with.