Under the Government’s Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act (2004) there is a requirement for the Council to prepare and maintain a Minerals and Waste Development Scheme (MWDS).

The MWDS is a public statement of this Authorities project programme for the next three years. It sets out a programme for preparing, monitoring and reviewing all local development documents that are contained within the MWDS.

The County Council published the first Minerals and Waste Development Scheme in 2005, which was revised in March 2006. A second revision was adopted by the County Council on 30 March 2007. The revisions primarily affect the timetable for the preparation of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Minerals and Waste Plan, and have been prompted by a number of factors including changes in Government legislation, need to secure a sound statistical base for the Plan, and the need for further studies following a Preferred Options Consultation at the end of 2006.

Given the changes in the planning system the Cambridgeshire Minerals and Waste Scheme also addresses those existing documents that will be affected by the transitional arrangements that will be put in place to guide the move from the existing to the new plan preparation system.