Potash firm warned of looming battle over mining permission

The latest round of exploratory drilling work has been approved by the North York Moors National Park Authority to pinpoint the best location for the development, which is expected to create up to 5,000 jobs.

York Potash, the company behind the plans to build the first mine of its kind in the UK for nearly 40 years, now has nine months to carry out the test drilling at three more sites.

But the national park authority’s director of planning, Chris France, has maintained the go-ahead for the exploratory work is no indication that the overall scheme will be approved.

He stressed that while the authority is supportive of mineral exploration, national planning policies dictate a very different approach to mineral extraction.

Mr France said: “The company behind the proposals will need to demonstrate that the proposed mining operation is of national importance before the plans are given the go-ahead.

“They do have an uphill battle to do that, not just in relation to winning the approval of the national park authority, but also the Government as well.

“There is a long-standing national government policy test that means there is always a presumption against major development in a national park.

“They will have to prove the mine cannot be located anywhere else other than the national park to meet these policies, which will only allow major development in a national park in extreme circumstances.”

York Potash’s parent company, the multi-national firm Sirius Minerals, announced in October that a potash intersection had been discovered which is nearly four times as thick as had initially been hoped. Initial exploratory drilling work had pinpointed a 60ft-thick seam of high grade polyhalite – potassium sulphate – which is one of the world’s most extensive deposits. The mineral is an essential component of fertiliser and it had initially been hoped that a seam just 16ft thick would be uncovered.

A York Potash spokesman admitted the discovery had “exceeded expectations”, and stressed the company remains confident that the blueprints for the mine will meet the stringent planning criteria.

He added: “The York Potash project is of vital national importance and with the ever increasing importance of food security, it is essential that the UK has stable, secure and long-term supply of this crucial mineral.

“At the same time, we absolutely recognise the importance of respecting and maintaining the special qualities of the national park, and we are confident that we can develop proposals with both the least possible impact on the area’s natural beauty and a huge benefit for the regional and UK economy.”

Test results which revealed the extent of the polyhalite seam were collected from the first site of exploratory drilling work to the south-east of Hawsker, near Robin Hood’s Bay.

The mineral cores were sent to the British Geological Survey’s laboratories before the final analysis were published last week.

The next wave of exploratory drilling will see two rigs erected in Langdale Forest – one near Harwood Dale and the other close to Fylingdales Moor – while the third will be at Newton House Plantation at Sleights.

The test drilling will complement work which is being carried out at six other sites before a full planning application for the mine is submitted next year.

Residents have voiced fears that a major mining operation would destroy one of the country’s finest landscapes. Concerns have also been voiced about the amount of traffic which would be generated if the potash mine is approved.