North York Moors National Park Authority Planning Committee Planning Application NYM/2014/0676/MEIA Redcar and Cleveland Borough, Ryedale District, App No. NYM/2014/0676/MEIA Scarborough Borough Parish: LCPs of Aislaby, Brompton-by-Sawden, Broxa-Cum- Troutsdale, Burniston, Cloughton, Danby Group, Darncombe- Cum-Langdale End, Egton, Eskdaleside-Cum-Ugglebarnby, Fylingdales, Glaisdale, Goathland, Grosmont, Hackness, Harwood Dale, Hawsker-cum-Stainsacre, Hutton Buscel, Irton, Lockwood, Newby and Scalby, Newholm-Cum-Dunsley, Silpho, Sneaton Staintondale, Suffield-Cum-Everley, Whitby, Wykeham, West Ayton Applicant: York Potash Ltd Agent: Nathaniel Lichfield & Partners Date for decision: 30 June 2015 Proposed development : The winning and working of polyhalite by underground methods including the construction of a minehead at Dove's Nest Farm involving access, maintenance and ventilation shafts, the landforming of associated spoil, the construction of buildings, access roads, car parking and helicopter landing site, attenuation ponds, landscaping, restoration and aftercare and associated works. In addition, the construction of an underground tunnel between Dove’s Nest Farm and land at Wilton that links to the mine below ground, comprising 1 no. shaft at Dove’s Nest Farm, 3 no. intermediate access shaft sites, each with associated landforming of associated spoil, the construction of buildings, access roads and car parking, landscaping, restoration and aftercare, and the construction of a tunnel portal at Wilton comprising buildings, landforming of spoil and associated works Location : Dove's Nest Farm & Haxby Plantation, Sneatonthorpe(proposed minehead); underneath 252 sq km of the NYMNPA(winning & working of minerals); a corridor extending underground from the edge of the NP boundary to Wilton International Complex(mineral transport system); Ladycross Plantation near Egton, Lockwood Beck Farm near Moorsholm, Tocketts Lythe, near Guisborough(intermediate shaft sites); site within the eastern limits of the Wilton International Complex, Teesside(tunnel portal) Members are asked to note that this report is based on information as at 8 June 2015. Updated information, if required, will be provided at the meeting. 1 Contents 1. Background Page 6 1.1. The National Park – designation and statutory purposes 6 1.2. Potash and polyhalite 6 1.3. Development of proposals by York Potash Ltd 7 1.4. The York Potash Project – an overview 8 1.5. Consenting Authorities 9 1.6. Pre-application activities 10 1.7. Procedural matters 10 2. Sites and Surroundings 12 2.1. Dove’s Nest Farm/Haxby Plantation minehead site 12 2.2. Ladycross Plantation MTS access shaft site 12 2.3. Lockwood Beck MTS access shaft site 12 2.4. Tocketts Lythe MTS access shaft site 13 2.5. Wilton MTS portal site 13 3. Planning history 13 3.1 Potash mining in the National Park 13 3.2 Dove’s Nest Farm/Haxby Plantation 14 3.3 Ladycross Plantation 14 3.4 MTS sites outside the National Park 14 4. Proposals 15 4.1 Extraction of polyhalite across application area 15 4.2 Minehead facility at Dove’s Nest Farm/Haxby Plantation 16 4.3 Dove’s Nest Farm/Haxby Plantation – Landform modification 17 4.4 Dove’s Nest Farm/Haxby Plantation – Construction proposals 19 4.5 Dove’s Nest Farm/Haxby Plantation – Decommissioning, restoration and after use 20 4.6 Mineral Transport System (MTS) 20 4.7 The wider York Potash project 23 5. Proposed Developer Contributions 24 5.1 Planning obligations and the Community Infrastructure Levy Regulations 24 5.2 Proposed Section 106 obligations 24 5.3 Officers’ advice regarding Section 106 offers 27 5.4 York Potash Foundation 27 6. Consultations 29 6.1 York Potash pre-application community consultation 29 6.2 Statutory consultation: Responses from constituent local authorities 30 6.3 Statutory consultation: Responses from parish and town councils 35 6.4 Statutory consultation: Responses from other bodies 37 7. Third party representations 53 7.1 General points 53 7.2 Comments in support of the application 53 7.3 Objection comments 63 7.4 Neutral comments or questions 70 7.5 SEI consultation 71 7.6 Responses from neighbouring property 74 7.7 Public meeting 75 8. Planning Policy and Guidance 77 8.1 National Park purposes and planning status of National Park Authorities 77 8.2 Determination of Planning Applications in accordance with the Development Plan 77 8.3 The Development Plan: North York Moors National Park Authority 77 8.4 The Development Plan – Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council 79 8.5 Material considerations: National Planning Policy Framework 80 2 8.6 Material considerations: Planning Practice Guidance Page 81 8.7 Material considerations: Defra Circular 2010 - English National Parks & Broads 82 8.8 Material considerations: The National Park Management Plan 83 8.9 Material considerations: Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council’s assessment of the application 83 8.10 Applicant’s interpretation of planning policy and guidance 84 8.11 Officers’ interpretation of planning policy and guidance 85 9. Main issues 89 10. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) 90 10.1 Background information 90 10.2 The applicant’s Environmental Statement 90 10.3 Review of Environmental Statement 91 11. Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) 92 11.1 Background information 92 11.2 HRA information submitted by the applicant 92 11.3 HRA prepared by Amec Foster Wheeler on behalf of the Authority 93 12. Planning Assessment Part 1: Need for the development 96 12.1 Introduction 96 12.2 The agronomic case for polyhalite 96 12.3 The market for polyhalite 102 12.4 National economic considerations 107 12.5 Regional and local economic considerations 112 13. Planning Assessment Part 2: Cost of and scope for developing elsewhere outside the National Park 124 13.1 Background information 124 13.2 Applicant’s assessment of alternative minehead sites 125 13.3 Applicant’s assessment of alternatives to Mineral Transport System 127 13.4 Amec Foster Wheeler review of alternative sites assessment 128 13.5 Officers’ assessment 129 14. Planning Assessment Part 3: Scope for meeting the need for the development in some other way 130 14.1 Applicant’s assessment 130 14.2 Officers’ assessment 130 15. Planning Assessment Part 4: Effect on the environment, landscape and recreational opportunities and extent to which detrimental impacts could be moderated 134 15.1 Location, site layout and design 134 • Proposals and applicant’s assessment 134 • Officers’ assessment 136 15.2 Landscaping and restoration proposals 139 • Proposals and applicant’s assessment 139 • Officers’ assessment 140 15.3 Treatment of spoil and feasibility of construction proposals 142 • Proposals and applicant’s assessment 142 • Officers’ assessment 143 15.4 Provision of services 145 • Electrical power 145 • Water supply 146 • Foul drainage 146 15.5 Amenity impacts 147 • Noise and Vibration 147 • Subsidence 148 • Lighting 148 3 15.6 Highways, traffic and road safety Page 149 • Proposals and applicant’s assessment 149 • Amec Foster Wheeler review 151 • Local Highway Authority 153 15.7 The water environment 154 • Proposals and applicant’s assessment 154 • Officers’ assessment 156 15.8 Wildlife and habitat protection 157 • Background information 157 • Proposals and applicant’s assessment 158 • Officers’ assessment 160 15.9 Landscape and visual impact 165 • Background information 166 • Proposals and applicant’s assessment 166 • Officers’ assessment 172 15.10 Recreational opportunities (including Public Rights of Way) 177 • Background information 177 • Proposals and applicant’s assessment 179 • Officers’ assessment 180 15.11 Special qualities of the National Park 184 • Applicant’s assessment 184 • Officers’ assessment 186 15.12 Historic environment 190 • Background, proposals and applicant’s assessment 190 • Officers’ assessment 193 15.13 Housing and social infrastructure 196 • Temporary accommodation for construction workforce 197 • Housing 198 • Education and skills 199 • Policing 201 • Social, community and health services 202 16. Planning Assessment Part 5: Sustainability and climate change 204 16.1 Introduction 204 16.2 Applicant’s assessment 204 16.3 Officers’ assessment 206 17. Planning Assessment Part 6: Section 106 contributions 211 18. Planning Assessment Part 7: Security arrangements 215 19. Conclusions of Planning assessment 217 • Compliance with the Development Plan 217 • Compliance with the NPPF 219 • Harm to National Park purposes and other planning interests 221 • Beneficial impacts arising from the development 223 • Sustainability and National Park Management Plan 224 • Environmental Impact Assessment – remaining uncertainties 224 • Effectiveness of mitigation and compensation offered through S106 obligations 226 • Planning balance 228 20. Explanation of how the Authority has worked positively with the Applicant 229 4 Appendices Appendix A: Plans • York Potash Project: Location of Proposed Development Sites • Application Site Boundary showing areas excluded from Mine Plan • Location of Minehead Site • Minehead Construction Masterplan • Minehead Restoration Proposals (showing final layout) • Proposed Sub-surface Structures • Location of MTS site at Lady Cross Plantation • Lady Cross Plantation Construction Masterplan • Lady Cross Plantation Restoration Proposals • Location of MTS site at Lockwood Beck • Lockwood Beck Construction Masterplan • Lockwood Beck Restoration Proposals • Location of MTS site at Tocketts Lythe • Tocketts Lythe Construction Masterplan • Tocketts Lythe Restoration Proposals • Public Rights of Way in the vicinity of the