Abandoned mine could be energy source again

AN ABANDONED Yorkshire pit site could be back in business at the cutting edge of green energy – creating more than a 100 jobs in a community once devastated by mine closures.

Officials from Science City York have teamed up with the North Selby site owners UK Coal and energy company Peel Environmental to promote what could be a corner-stone of a growing clean energy market in the region.

Outline proposals will be made available at public meetings for residents of the two communities closest to the former Selby mine site –Wheldrake and Escrick.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Public meetings will be held at the Church Cottage, Wheldrake, on Thursday next week and at Escrick Village Hall on October 19, both starting at 4.30pm and continuing on a "drop-in" arrangement until about 7pm.

The plant would recycle non-hazardous waste material from the York area to generate power to supply the National Grid. Offices and other buildings on site would be used for much of the scheme, which also includes an education and sustainability centre.

Project manager John Dunshea said: "What we have here is an exciting opportunity to be at the forefront of new energy technologies on which the UK will become increasingly reliant as the nation's dependence on imported energy and fossil fuels diminishes.

"We want to do our utmost to work with the local communities in a partnership which will deliver new jobs and new energy for many years to come."

Peel Environmental is a part of the Peel Group which owns the Trafford Centre in Manchester, a number of airports including Robin Hood near Doncaster, and renewable energy schemes.

Related topics: