Public gets say on saving beauty spots from fracking and mining
A NEW plan will offer North Yorkshire communities “high levels of protection” against the impact of controversial developments including fracking, the county council has claimed.
North Yorkshire and York residents are being urged to have their say on the document before the county council submits it for review by an independent inspector.
The minerals and waste plan, developed jointly with the North York Moors National Park Authority and York Council, sets out how the three bodies will respond to planning applications targeting minerals in the area or involving the dumping of waste materials.
North Yorkshire County Council found itself in the national spotlight last year when it was asked to grant planning permission for fracking to be carried out at a site near Kirby Misperton in Ryedale.
In giving the green light, the council became the first authority to grant permission for the controversial gas extraction method to be used since 2011.
The Government has subsequently overturned a Lancashire County Council decision and given permission for fracking at a site on the Fylde coast.
Councils are not allowed to introduce blanket bans on fracking.
The new plan proposes an “extended buffer zone” to protect towns, villages and beauty spots from the impact of development.
Coun Andrew Lee, North Yorkshire County Council’s executive member for planning, said: “This plan has been over four years in the making, and will become the bible for guiding future planning decisions.
“It has been amended and refined over this period by taking into account responses from extensive consultation.
“These points of clarification are intended to strengthen the protection to the environment and landscape of our beautiful county and the health and wellbeing of our residents.
“The measures in the plan extend the protection already provided in national policy.
“We are now giving people the chance to make further representations on our plan in a consultation.”
The minerals and waste plan could also have implications for the future development of the potash mine near Whitby.
Chris France, director of planning for the North York Moors National Park Authority, said: “The changes have been jointly agreed by all three authorities to provide a robust policy framework which will ensure that future minerals and waste developments are undertaken in a way that safeguards the world-class environment of North Yorkshire and the interests of its residents and businesses.”
Following the latest consultation, further changes to the plan could be made before the document is submitted for review by a planning inspector.
Coun Ian Gillies, York Council’s executive member for transport and planning, said: “These changes would strengthen our approach to protecting York’s communities.
“Most of the amendments simply offer clarity for everyone involved; planners, applicants and our communities.
“Ultimately, they would make our policy more enforceable during the planning application process.”
Details of the document can be found at http://www.northyorks. gov.uk/mwconsult.