• Engage early with key stakeholders and members of the local community who will be affected by the proposal, to explain the process of site selection and its suitability and the technology proposed, how it will be designed and how any environmental impacts will be mitigated. The more work that can be done at the pre-application stage the better. This helps gain support from the community. Also key stakeholders such as the EA have more time to discuss their requirements with the applicants.
• Ensure plant and site layout design and proposed aesthetic treatment are of a high quality and appropriate to the site, and demonstrate how potential for impacts will be minimised through the design of the development (e.g., operations being undertaken indoors to minimise noise and dust).
• Ensure adequate background monitoring10 is undertaken prior to the submission of a planning application to ensure it is comprehensive and that information is available to answer any queries that may arise.
• Ensure that there are good lines of communication between the WDA and WPA whilst recognising the need for a clear distinction between the two authorities to avoid opportunities for criticism of the council's approach to dealing with the application.
• Demonstrate any added value that may be delivered through the development, e.g., site restoration, provision of nature conservation areas, contaminated land remediation, employment, improved access that may be more widely available to others than just the waste management facility.
• Demonstrate how the facility contributes to delivery of the required waste management strategy and corresponding infrastructure needs as a whole.
• Where possible, agree conditions and heads of terms for legal agreements prior to the report on the planning application being taken to Committee.
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10 An appropriate assessment (under the Habitat Directive 92/43/EEC) may be required. In October 2005, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled that, as a result of the failure to make land-use plans subject to Appropriate Assessment of their implications for European Sites, Article 6 (3) and (4) of the Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC had not been transposed completely. The necessary amendments are currently being made to relevant UK regulations in the Conservation (Natural Habitats etc) (Amendment) Regulations 2007 which have been introduced into Parliament.