Campaigner attacks industrial threat to national park’s moors

Proposals have been unveiled to create a major potash mine centred on the North York Moors which could employ up to 5,000 people.

In a separate scheme, a gas plant earmarked for the edge of the North York Moors National Park could bring up to £10m to the local economy over the next two decades.

But the North Yorkshire Moors Association’s chairman, Tom Chadwick, has claimed that the multi-million pound schemes have “no place in a national park landscape”.

Writing in the new edition of the association’s bulletin, Voice of the Moors, Mr Chadwick has stressed that economic benefits should not be placed ahead of preserving the environment.

He said: “As is always the case in these applications, we hear the well-rehearsed mantra that the developments will provide jobs, the carrot which is always waved, and that the development is ‘in the national interest’.”

But he added: “It is almost as if, despite its designation, the national park is not in the national interest.”

Developers behind both projects remain adamant that every effort will be made to minimise the impact on the national park.

The Ryedale Gas Project would see the main plant built near Thornton-le-Dale outside the confines of the national park. The well-head would, however, fall within the park’s boundaries.

Moorland Energy, the company behind the Ryedale Gas Project, submitted a full planning application in April last year.

However, the proposals have yet to be considered by either the North York Moors National Park Authority or North Yorkshire County Council, which are both charged with deciding if the project should go ahead.

Moorland Energy’s chief executive, Lawrie Erasmus, yesterday countered Mr Chadwick’s claims, but admitted there was a need to look towards securing gas from often “environmentally sensitive” sites.

Mr Erasmus said: “We recognise the importance of the North York Moors landscape and are fully committed to ensuring that our proposed development does not significantly intrude on it.

“Our proposals include a number of measures for minimising any visual impact as well as the creation of a new nature conservation area.

“Imported gas is meeting an increasing proportion of our national energy needs, which makes the development of our own onshore and North Sea reserves even more strategically important.

“Unfortunately, the gas deposits are very often in environmentally sensitive locations.”

In the proposals for the potash development, Sirius has acquired mining rights to 372 miles of land along the North Yorkshire coast, but the exact location of the mine has yet to be revealed.

The company, which also has projects in Australia and the USA, believes the proposed mine has the potential to unearth billions of pounds of potash.

But Mr Chadwick fears that the operation could undermine the environment and the area’s vital tourism industry.

He added: “If this development is to be situated partly or wholly in the park, it will be a massive industrial intrusion into the landscape, designated a national park because of its outstanding beauty.

“It will be completely unacceptable.”

Tourists visiting the national park generate about £260m a year, according to Mr Chadwick.

He added: “This is income directly connected to the national park designation and to the landscape quality. People visit national parks because they are delightful places.”

Mr Chadwick stressed the association, which was set up in 1985, remains committed to “protecting and enhancing the characteristic beauty” of the area.