E046:07 4 December 2007

HSE publishes land use planning consultation outcome

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has today published the results of its consultation that will shape its future policy on the advice given to Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) when they consider planning applications close to large scale petrol storage facilities.

This public consultation, held from February to May 2007, followed the explosion and fire at the Buncefield fuel storage depot in December 2005.

The results of the consultation can be viewed at www.hse.gov.uk/consult/condocs/cd211.htm

The majority of responses to the consultation supported increasing the size of consultation distances (CDs) (within which HSE provides advice on planning applications to LPAs) around these depots. There was also strong support for HSE giving more restrictive advice on the types of development that should be built in the immediate vicinity around them.  HSE has therefore decided to go ahead with this option (Option 4 in the Consultation Document).

HSE emphasises however that this is an interim solution – albeit not a short term one – until research provides more information on the mechanism of the vapour cloud explosion which took place at Buncefield.  When that is better understood it may be appropriate to review again the land use planning advice policy around such sites.

HSE Deputy Chief Executive, Justin McCracken said: “The majority of respondents agreed that the land use planning objectives and principles set out in the consultation document were a sound basis on which HSE should provide its advice to Local Planning Authorities (LPAs).  HSE will therefore use the objectives and principles, updating them as necessary as and when new knowledge becomes available.”

The new advice policy will applyonly to around the 50-60 large-scale petrol storage depots, which HSE has identified as being operationally/physically similar to Buncefield.  It will come into effect in the summer of 2008.  Until then, where planning applications come forward, HSE will continue to provide LPAs with cautious advice.

Notes to Editors

1. The original consultation document is available at www.hse.gov.uk/consult/condocs/cd211.htm
   
2. Following the explosion and fire at Buncefield in December 2005, HSE launched a review of the land use planning advice it provides to Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) around petrol storage depots.  HSE’s advice is considered, alongside other factors, by LPAs when they make planning decisions.
   
3. HSE published a consultation document in February 2007 which sought views on proposals for changing its policies on the land use planning advice that it gives around large-scale petrol storage depots. The consultation also sought views on the underlying objectives and principles upon which HSE bases this advice.
   
4. HSE recently consulted on “Proposals for revised policies to address societal risk around onshore non-nuclear major hazard installations”, results will be published shortly (http://www.hse.gov.uk/consult/condocs/cd212.htm)

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