New approach by Sirius to potash project

The bid to create the potash mine in the Yorkshire national park has been hit by a series of delays owing to growing concerns over the York Potash project’s impact on the environment.

Sirius said that it has been in a range of “productive discussions” with advisers, experts, the North York Moors National Park Authority and other statutory bodies about how best to proceed with the approvals process.

Sirius said it will align the environmental study work for all four key elements of the project (mine, pipeline, materials handling plant and port).

The firm said: “This is possible because the company has completed more work on other aspects of the project, now allowing a more comprehensive assessment of cumulative impacts of all of the elements of the project. It differs from the previous approach which focussed initially on a joint environmental statement for the mine and the pipeline.”

Chris Fraser, managing director and CEO of Sirius, said: “Further, extensive work on the port and materials handling facilities has helped to de-risk the project, but it has also generated more information that needs to be assessed in conjunction with the other applications. As a result this new approach will reassure the decision making bodies that sufficient information is available on each element needed to deliver the whole project.

“With the benefits of the York Potash Project proceeding being so substantial, I know that our many supporters will welcome this revised approach that delivers greater certainty and leaves little room for debate over the high level of environmental standards that we are adopting.

“The mine development has the longest lead time so it previously made sense to progress that application as a priority over the other required infrastructure applications. This revised approach will closely align the projects to ensure there are no unknowns for the decision makers.”