THE Yorkshire coast’s economy faces one of its most defining moments since the Victorian era after a multi-national company has unveiled the site earmarked for a £1.7bn potash mine.
Thousands of jobs and a multi-billion pound economic boost are expected if the plans to build the mining operation in the North York Moors National Park are given the go-ahead.
Business leaders and politicians have heralded the blueprints as a huge step towards countering some of the nation’s worst pockets of deprivation and tackling long-term unemployment which has blighted communities in the district around Scarborough and Whitby.
The decision to bring the potash mine to the coast is seen by senior political figures as potentially one of the biggest developments since the tourism industry boom during the Victorian era.
And while tourism remains the bedrock of the coastal economy, the proposed mining operation would widen the economic base to the well-paid engineering sector.
The planned mine is seen as providing long-term job security and career opportunities as Sirius Minerals, the international firm behind the development, has secured mineral rights spanning the next 140 years.
Conservative MP for Scarborough and Whitby Robert Goodwill said there was already wide-spread support for the scheme, and he had only received correspondence from about six opponents since details were announced in January last year.
He said: “This is a moment we have been waiting for since the plans were first announced, as there was always a danger that the company could walk away if they encountered financial or technical problems.
“I have always said that there should not be an environmental blank cheque for Sirius Minerals, and every effort must be made to lessen the effects on the surrounding environment.
“But if the environmental impact is handled correctly, it will be a massive boost to the local economy. This is not the Klondike Gold Rush and if the planning application is successful, it will be a permanent part of the economy for decades to come.”
An announcement about the mine’s proposed location was made to the City of London today at 7am, and the formal planning process has now begun.
A planning application is due to be submitted to the North York Moors National Park Authority by the end of the year, and construction work could begin in the spring before the potash mine becomes operational in 2017.
The mine-head would be on farmland near the village of Sneaton, and a 27-mile underground pipeline would then carry potash to a processing plant on Teesside.
However, the scale of the development and the sensitive nature of its proposed location in the national park mean the Government could potentially call in the proposals for a public inquiry.
Conservationists have warned the mine should only be given the go-ahead if strict criteria set out under national planning guidelines are met as grave concerns have been voiced that the mine would impinge on some of Britain’s most precious landscapes.
But executives from Sirius Minerals maintained revolutionary design techniques will see the majority of the mining operations built below the ground, screened by woodland.
Managing director of Sirius Minerals Chris Fraser told theYorkshire Post: “This is an historic day which we have been working towards for the past two years.
“We are confident that we could not have found a better location and believe that this gives us the best chance of getting approval from the national park authority.
“We have always said that this is a massive opportunity, and the economic stimulus will be huge. The mine will have a multi-generational impact as this is something that will be here for decades to come.
“The designs we have come up with are unprecedented, there is not another mining operation quite like this anywhere else. It will be a blueprint for how future mining operations can fit in with the existing landscapes.”
Since announcing the ambitious plans 18 months ago, Sirius Minerals has undertaken an extensive programme of exploratory drilling work in the national park to pinpoint one of the world’s most extensive seams of potash, which is a key component in fertiliser.
The deposits, which extend out under the North Sea, are seen as a hugely important source of potash to help boost crop yields while satiating global food demand.
Yorkshire Post