Minerals planning in practice: Cotswold Lakes site tour and rafting (Cirencester)

Please book your place by the 2 July

Options to join for a full or half day.

Have you ever considered how quarry sites gain planning permission? And what is involved in restoring and caring for minerals sites once extraction has ceased?

This highly interactive and informative event aims to demonstrate how varied, engaging and vital this often overlooked area of planning is through taking you through the entire lifecycle of a minerals site throughout the day, from appraisal and application, to working quarry operation and finally restoration and aftercare. 

Whether you work in the sector, wish to start a career in it, or are simply intrigued to learn more, this event, set in the beautiful scenery of the Cotswold Lakes, will have something to pique your interest.
  

Background:

The Cotswold Lakes is an area shaped by mineral extraction, resulting in a landscape that Natural England recognises as “an incredibly important place for biodiversity, recreation, continued mineral operations and education”. Mineral working has provided the catalyst for landscape change within the area; following extraction, the sites are carefully restored through planning permissions to create a network of lakes, wetlands and grasslands, supporting biodiversity, recreation and education.

The area also has significant archaeological interest, with mineral workings often revealing important prehistoric and historic remains, which provides another layer of complexity to mineral planning decision‑making and site management.

As sites that are often operational for multiple decades, the event will cover how careful monitoring of planning conditions are also required to ensure positive outcomes for all stakeholders. 

What to expect:

Attendees will be shown round sites that demonstrate each stage of the full life cycle of mineral extraction, showing how minerals planning plays a key role in balancing resource use with long‑term environmental and community benefits. This will culminate in an optional afternoon activity of rafting on a restored mineral site, which will show the huge potential minerals extraction has to positively impact the local and wider community, as well as providing an excellent opportunity to network and unwind in the July sunshine.

By the end of the day, attendees will understand how extraction activities sit alongside biodiversity, recreation and education and how these different uses interact to help create a unique place.

Even if you don’t work in minerals planning and aren’t necessarily thinking of ending up in this sector; knowledge and understanding of how these sites work and impact on the surrounding area is useful when planning for other types of development in the area too.

With the importance of minerals planning only likely to increase as geopolitical changes place greater emphasis on ensuring security of domestic supply, it has never been more pertinent to understand more about this key area of planning. 

What you'll gain:

• Understand the minerals planning process and regulatory framework.
• Understand the life cycle of a mineral extraction site from application to restoration.
• Appreciate the relationship between mineral working, biodiversity, recreation and landscape restoration and the impact of minerals sites on wider development.
• Gain insight into monitoring, enforcement and operational challenges at active minerals sites

This event is eligible for up to 3 hours of CPD and covers the following subjects from the core CPD framework:

1. Development and Infrastructure Planning
2. Climate Change and Environmental Planning

Programme:

09:00 - Meet at The Gateway Visitor’s Centre
09:15 – Refreshments
09:30 – Welcome and overview
09:45 – 11:00 Series of talks on the minerals planning lifecycle
11:00 – Travel by minibus to sites
11:15–12:30 – Site visits (Cerney Wick, Shorncote and Airfield – TBC)
13:00 – Buffet lunch at The Gateway Visitor’s Centre
14:30 – Raft‑building social activity at Lake 86 (alternatives available)*
17:00 – Close/finish

*The main activity for the afternoon is raft building however there are alternative activities available such as kayaking, please let us know before 31 May 2026 if you’d like more information about this so we can book it for you. Spaces are limited for alternatives. 

Speakers:

• Lisa - Lisa Saunders - Minerals Matters Director of Lisa Saunders Consultancy ltd
• Olly - Olly Thompson Strategic Project Manager Hill Quarry Products Limited
• Ben Welbourn - Conservation & Estates Director Cotswolds Lake Trust 
• Lucy Binnie - Environmental Consultant at Land & Mineral Management
• Andy Birchley - Senior Enforcement Officer at Gloucestershire County Council
• Chris Herbert - Director of Planning – Mineral Resources and Dimension Stone - Minerals Planning Associations

Supporters:

A special thanks to Hills for facilitating and hosting the event, as well as the Mineral Products Association (MPA) for sponsoring the event, without whom, this event would not be possible.

Booking information:

There are several options to join this event, whether you just want to join us for the full day or just the raft building activities.

Either:

All day - includes all the talks, lunch and the afternoon raft building

Morning only - Join us from 09:00 to 14:00, lunch included.

Afternoon raft building only - Join us from 14:20 at Cotswold Water Park Hire – Lake 86 (close to visitor centre) 

Getting to the venue

Cotswold Water Park, Gateway Visitors Centre, Spine Rd E, Cirencester GL7 5TL

By train: Nearest train stations are Kemble or Swindon. 

By bus: There is a regular bus service from Cirencester (no 51) which stops just outside the visitor centre entrance. 

By car: Parking is available at gateway visitor centre and/or lake 86 car park.

Before you set off, it's worth checking for any updates – e.g. ongoing roadworks in the area that might affect your journey.

Access and inclusion

We're committed to making sure everyone has a great experience at our events. Once you've booked, we'll get in touch to talk through any access needs or requirements you might have. If you have any questions in the meantime, just contact South.West@rtpi.org.uk – we're here to help.

Tickets

We offer free tickets for carers and have a limited number of free or discounted tickets for those working in the public sector, students and those on low income/unemployed. Contact us to check availability.

If you wish to make a group booking, please contact South.West@rtpi.org.uk

Food and refreshments

Refreshments and a buffet lunch will be provided for those attending the morning or the full day.  We can also provide vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options and other dietary requirements like Kosher or Halal meals – just let South.West@rtpi.org.uk know.