But the Potter Group is prepared to agree to the revocation of an existing Hazardous Substance Consent for the storage of 9,999 tonnes of potentially explosive ammonium nitrate fertiliser at the Melmerby Industrial Estate at Melmerby, near Ripon.

The industrial estate is on land used for the storage of Ministry of Defence explosive ordnance during the Second World War. It has been used for the storage of hazardous substances since at least 1972.

The Potter Group has applied to Harrogate Council to store 500 tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas in aerosol containers, 280 tonnes of very toxic material including cyanides and hydrofluoric acid, 1,000 tonnes of toxic substances, 500 tonnes of oxidising material, 2,000 tonnes of flammable and 500 tonnes of highly flammable goods and another 6,000 tonnes classed as dangerous for the environment.

Before new regulations were introduced in 1999 there was a 600 metre zone around the site, which had consent to store 9,000 tonnes of ammonium nitrate fertiliser. The company no longer intends to store the fertiliser, which has an explosion risk.

The Health and Safety Executive and the Environment Agency have made regular inspections of the 42-acre site, which is a mile west of the A1. Both agencies have been consulted on the latest proposals.

Harrogate Council, which will determine the application for the Hazardous Substances Consent on Tuesday, has commissioned specialist consultants, Hickling Gray Associates, to advise it.

Hickling Gray say: "The applicants recognise the potential risks its operations pose to its employees, neighbours, the general public and the environment, and necessary measures exist to ensure that the impact of such risks are correctly characterised, that any required safety measures are identified and that the change in risk is quantified.

"The major accident hazards are those associated with fire, explosion, unplanned release of toxic substances and the consequential hazards from a combination of such events."

To ensure that any risks are as low as reasonably practicable, the Potter Group maintains a Safety Management System, which is part of the COMAH (Control of Major Accident Hazards) Safety report requirements.

Hickling Gray say this is regularly reviewed by the Health and Safety Executive and Environment Agency and any recommendations are acted upon. Elements of the Safety Management System include bunds around warehouses holding chemicals to contain spillages and to hold contaminated water used by firefighters.

On site water storage ponds have a 338,880 gallon capacity for fire-fighting. Security includes new fencing and a 24-hour monitored CCTV system with direct links to the police. A seal on the main drainage prevents any contaminated water leaving the site.

The Health and Safety Executive has assessed the application and Peter Horwood of its Hazardous Installations Directorate is recommending consent should be granted. He said: "Hazardous Installations Directorate have concluded that the risks to the surrounding population arising from the proposed operations are so small that there are no significant reasons, on safety grounds, for refusing Hazardous Substances Consent."

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