The original planning permission, granted in 1986, allowed extraction until 2011. The Section 73 application seeks to extend this by a further 25 years. In 2021, our team produced an Environmental Statement Addendum (ESA) following a Regulation 22 request from North Yorkshire County Council for additional information.
The updated ESA covered seven technical areas, including Landscape, Ecology, Cultural Heritage, Hydrogeology, Dust, Noise, and Transport. Over the extended EIA process, we responded to emerging priorities, such as peat conservation as a carbon-rich habitat and the impact on local bird species. Our team ensured consistency across all chapters, addressed statutory consultee comments, and proposed mitigation measures to minimise environmental impact.
We also produced an Outline Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP) to guide mitigation during construction, linking the ES findings to practical measures on the ground. The project’s timescales and phased approach were unusual, reflecting its complexity and sensitive location, and our coordinated approach ensured that statutory consultees had all the information they needed in a clear, proportionate way.
This work demonstrates our expertise in complex environmental planning, balancing development needs with careful, evidence-based protection of natural and cultural resources.
