Representation by Anglo American plc (Woodsmith Project) (Anglo American plc (Woodsmith Project))
- Date submitted
- 15 December 2021
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
This representation is submitted on behalf of Anglo American Woodsmith Limited and York Potash Limited who have the benefit of The York Potash Harbour Facilities Order 2016 SI 772(YPL DCO) in respect of land adjacent to, and overlapping with, the order limits of the proposed Net Zero DCO. Both Anglo American and York Potash Limited are defined as undertakers in the YPL DCO (Anglo American having acquired Sirius Minerals plc which was one of the named undertakers). For ease the representations will refer to those parties as Anglo American. The harbour facility approved by the YPL DCO is part of the Woodsmith Project which includes the development of a new mine for the winning and working of polyhalite, which is a form of potash and a natural fertiliser. The YPL DCO involves the construction and operation of harbour facilities for the bulk export of the polyhalite. The Woodsmith Project is currently under construction and comprises: (i) the development of a new underground deep mine in the North York Moors National Park, (ii) a 36.5 km long tunnel for the transportation of the polyhalite to Wilton International at Teesside; (iii) a material handling facility at Wilton International; and (iv) harbour facilities and associated development linking those harbour facilities with the material handling facility. The mine construction is now well advanced with good progress on shaft sinking. The tunnel between the mine and Teesside is now constructed along approximately 17 km of its route and the material handling facility is also under construction. There are approximately 1300 construction staff currently employed across the project. Whilst Anglo American have no objection in principle to the development proposed by the NZ DCO it is obviously important that any powers granted by the NZ DCO do not prevent, or unreasonably prejudice, the ability to construct and operate another nationally significant infrastructure project, being the harbour facility authorised by the YPL DCO which is an integral part of the Woodsmith Project. Anglo American acknowledge that there have been extensive discussions with NTZ but remain extremely concerned at the lack of detail available in respect of many elements of the scheme, some of which, crucially, include land within the YPL DCO order limits. This has made it impossible to ascertain the compatibility of the two schemes and the extent to which the YPL DCO may be adversely affected. NZT have advised that some key information will not be available until Q2 2022. Accordingly, very limited progress been made in progressing the necessary protective provisions. Anglo American continue to seek clarification from NZT and are currently unable to clearly understand the impact of the NZT DCO. In particular objection is taken to: - the proposal to route CO2 gathering and natural gas pipelines underground across Bran Sands which involves potential constraints upon the YPL DCO and also potential risk with regard to the Bran Sands environmental permit. - the extent of some of the Works areas which appear to be drawn very widely due to the lack of any sufficient scheme fix. This applies to the Bran Sands frontage in general and to the wide area of Works 6 in relation to the routes of the CO2 gathering network and other Works such as Works 2B and 3B (important detail in respect of which is not to be available until Q2 2022); and - the extent of site wide works referred to at the end of Schedule 1 of the DCO and the uncertainty arising