No legal challenge to York Potash but greater protection needed against major development in our National Parks

The Campaign for National Parks has confirmed today (5 Nov) that it will not mount a legal challenge against North York Moors National Park Authority’s decision to approve the York Potash minehead and mineral transport system.
The decision follows a detailed review of all relevant documentation and was made based on legal advice.

Fiona Howie, Campaign for National Parks Chief Executive, said: “We remain hugely disappointed that this development was given approval and are convinced that development of this type and scale is not appropriate in a National Park. However, the only option available to us was judicial review. This would have been focused on challenging the process that has been undertaken, rather than the decision itself. The legal advice we received makes it clear that the National Park Authority, followed the process effectively.

“Having made this decision we will now focus our efforts on making sure this type of major development cannot be approved in National Parks in the future. These landscapes are meant to be given the highest level of protection by our planning system. But this case makes it clear that these protections are simply not strong enough,” she added.

Notes to Editors
For media inquiries, please contact our Communications Manager Tony McDougal (Tel: 07766133788) or email – tonym@cnp.org.uk
For details of our previous work on this campaign and our objections to the project, please see our website: http://www.cnp.org.uk/north-york-moors-potash-mine-threat
The North York Moors National Park Authority issued formal planning approval for the York Potash minehead and mineral transport system on 19 October 2015. For further details, please see: http://www.northyorkmoors.org.uk/planning/york-potash

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