Objections over plan for temporary miners' village near Whitby

Plans to turn a North Yorkshire caravan park into temporary accommodation for 400 workers building a nearby mine have received a series of objections.

Anglo American, which is building a potash mine, wants to adapt the site in the village of Egton, near Whitby.

More than 25 respondents have told the North York Moors National Park Authority it would have a detrimental impact on them.

The firm said the accommodation should not affect locals' "quality of life."

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, one letter objecting to the planning application said: "Our roads are busy enough as it is without these comings and goings, it's absolutely absurd to believe this won't add a risk to people and wildlife."

Another claimed that housing the workers would ruin "the equilibrium of a beautiful, peaceful village".

Documents lodged with the authority say Anglo American is seeking consent for two-person cabins, with solar panels, in the place of the 189 pitches on the caravan park, as well as welfare lodges.

The firm said having provided accommodation for workers in holiday cottages, hotel rooms and a former care home it has become clear "further accommodation of a more consistent standard is required".

The planning documents state the proposed scheme would help reduce pressure on alternative additional tourism accommodation that would otherwise need to be used by the project's contractors and lead to a net reduction in total vehicle movements through the park.

A spokesperson for Anglo American said: "Due to shift patterns and the specialist nature of the mine construction, we offer accommodation to a range of skilled workers on the project to avoid fatigue and maximise rest time.

"This will be a temporary site which is relatively isolated and hidden from the village and will be professionally managed 24 hours a day as we do at all our sites. There is no reason why it should affect the quality of life for local people."

Planning permission for the Woodsmith Mine was granted in 2017.

Work is under way to sink shafts which will extend under the North Sea. The mine will produce polyhalite, a form of potash for use as an agricultural fertiliser.

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