Report

The Woodsmith Project: S73 Project Amendments

Planning Statement Anglo American Woodsmith Ltd

March 2026

1000-LCH-PA-RP-00002 rev 0

The Woodsmith Project - S73 Project Amendments : Planning Statement

Contents

1.0

Introduction

The Application Submission

Environmental Impact Assessment Scoping Opinion Request

Structure of the Report

2.0

Background to the Application

The Applicant

The Approved Development

The Importance of the Development

Need for the Amendments to the Approved Scheme

Consultation in respect of the Amendments to the Development

3.0

Site Description

Woodsmith Mine

Ladycross Plantation

Lockwood Beck

MTS Tunnel Portal

4.0

Proposed Amendments

Woodsmith Mine

MTS Sites

5.0

Planning Policy Context

Statutory Development Plan

Other Material Considerations

6.0

Development Appraisal

Needs and Alternatives

Environment, Landscape and Recreational Effects

7.0

Planning Conditions and S106 Matters

Section 106

8.0

Conclusions

The Woodsmith Project - S73 Project Amendments : Planning Statement

Introduction

1.0

This Planning Statement has been prepared on behalf of the applicant, Anglo American Woodsmith Ltd (“Anglo American”) and accompanies an application seeking amendments to the Woodsmith Project that are to be pursued under Section 73 (“S73”) of the Town & Country Planning Act 1990. This statement assesses the application proposals against the relevant national and local planning policy where there is a material change to the proposals.

1.1

1.2

The Application Submission

The application proposals cross the administrative boundaries of both the North York Moors National Park Authority (“NYMNPA”) and Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council (“RCBC”). Accordingly, identical submissions have been made to both authorities.

1.3

This statement should be read alongside the following drawings and other documents which have been prepared to accompany the S73 submission:

1.4

1 A covering letter and appropriate planning application fee;

2 Completed planning application forms and certificates relevant for a S73 submission;

3 This Planning Statement, that assesses the proposed changes against prevailing planning policy; 4 A Design & Access Statement, that sets out the design evolution of the proposed amendments; 5 A Statement of Community Involvement, that provides details of the pre-application consultation undertaken; 6 An Economic Impact Report, that assesses the soci0-economic impacts associated with the proposed amended scheme; 7 A Supplementary Environmental Statement (SES) that provides an assessment of the potential environmental effect related to the proposed amendments to the scheme. The SES is provided in two volumes (a Non-Technical Summary, and Technical Studies / Appendices) and;

Planning application drawings.

A full list of the accompanying planning drawings is included in Appendix 1 of this document. It identifies which of the previously approved drawings are to be retained or replaced, as well as new drawings which are relevant to the proposed amendments. Environmental Impact Assessment Scoping Opinion Request A request for an Environmental Impact Assessment (“EIA”) Scoping Opinion was prepared by Haskoning, on behalf of Anglo American and submitted to NYMNPA and RCBC. The purpose of this was to establish and confirm those environmental matters to be considered

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The Woodsmith Project - S73 Project Amendments : Planning Statement

by the Supplementary Environmental Statement (“SES”) that accompanies this S73 application.

The SES provides further environmental information on the proposed amendments to the previously approved scheme, reporting on any additional or different environmental effects that were not previously identified as part of the original EIA process. Scoping Opinions from both authorities were issued on 22 December 2025. Their responses – including those from statutory consultees - have directed the content of the SES. Focussing on the environmental effects of the proposed amendments to the scheme, with due regard to any change in prevailing environmental conditions, the SES includes consideration of the following matters:

1.7

1.8

• Water Resources, Flood Risk, Drainage and Water Framework Directive

Geology and Hydrogeology;

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Landscape and Visual Impact;

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Noise and Vibration;

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Air Quality;

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Traffic and Transport;

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Climate Change; and

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Socio-economic.

•

Each of the above subjects are fully assessed in the SES and the findings of this work, including any relevant cumulative impacts, are referenced in the Planning Statement in Section 6.0, which provides an appraisal of the acceptability of the proposed changes against prevailing policy.

1.9

Structure of the Report

The remainder of this Planning Statement is structured as follows:

1.10

• Section 2.0 - Explains the background to the application, including a description of the approved development and its importance, and an explanation of the need to amend the previously approved scheme.

• Section 3.0 - Provides a description of the application site and surroundings.

• Section 4.0 - Details the nature of the proposed amendments.

• Section 5.0 - Details the planning policy context for the S73 application, focusing on policy matters that have changed since the original decision was made. • Section 6.0 - Assesses the proposed amendments against the current policy context with due regard to the nature of the changes to the scheme and the limited policy amendments to the prevailing policy context. • Section 7.0 - Sets out other matters, including planning conditions and planning obligations relevant to this S73 application.

• Section 8.0 - Provides overall conclusions on the S73 application.

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The Woodsmith Project - S73 Project Amendments : Planning Statement

Background to the Application

2.0

The Applicant

Anglo American is a leading global mining company which acquired the Woodsmith Project in March 2020 from Sirius Minerals. In delivering the Woodsmith Project, Anglo American seeks to deliver a new state-of-the-art mine and associated processing and port infrastructure to produce the Company’s polyhalite products. Polyhalite is a naturally occurring mineral containing major plant nutrients – potassium, sulphur, magnesium and calcium. It is a valuable multi-nutrient fertiliser and its application by the farming industry, both within the UK and overseas, will assist in maintaining and improving crop yields and harvests, and support more sustainable agricultural practices. The applications and subsequent planning permissions/consents for The Woodsmith Project (as detailed below) were submitted as York Potash Ltd (now Anglo American Woodsmith Ltd).

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2.2

2.3

The Approved Development

The Woodsmith Project consists of five key elements:

2.4

1 An underground Mine including a surface access point at Woodsmith Mine, Sneatonthorpe, approved by RCBC (for those areas of the development site within its remit) under ref: R/2014/0627/FFM (dated 19 August 2015) and by the North York Moors National Park Authority (‘NYMNPA’) under ref: NYM/2014/0676/MEIA (dated 19 October 2015) and as subsequently varied by ref. NYM/2017/0505/MEIA (dated 6 February 2018); 2 A Mineral Transport System (‘MTS’) consisting of a 37 km long tunnel that will transport the polyhalite from Woodsmith Mine to a Materials Handling Facility at Wilton International, Teesside, also approved under the Planning Permissions referenced above; 3 A Materials Handling Facility approved by RCBC under ref: R/2014/0626/FFM (dated 14 August 2015) and as subsequently varied under ref. R/2018/0139/VC (dated 29 May 2018); 4 A Port Handling Facility and associated overland conveyor approved by RCBC on 6 June 2025 under ref. R/2024/0098/ESM and; 5 Harbour facilities and associated development at Teesside, granted by Order of the Secretary of State under Development Consent Order ref: SI 2016 No. 772 (dated the 10 August 2016) and as subsequently amended by a non-material change on 25 August 2022. The amendments that are proposed in this application relate to the underground mine and associated MTS shafts. To date, these have been brought forward under the permitting activities listed below (collectively referred to as “the Approved Development”). A more comprehensive summary of relevant planning history – as it relates the mine and MTS sites – is included at Appendix 2.

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NYM/2014/0676/MEIA

In 2014, a planning application (reference NYM/2014/0676/MEIA) was submitted to the NYMNPA for permission to develop a polyhalite mine and underground Mineral Transport System. This permission was granted on 19 October 2015 subject to 95 planning conditions and the signing of a S106 Agreement.

2.6

The description of development is as follows:

2.7

“The winning and working of polyhalite by underground methods including the construction of a minehead at Dove's Nest Farm involving access, maintenance and ventilation shafts, the landforming of associated spoil, the construction of buildings, access roads, car parking and helicopter landing site, attenuation ponds, landscaping, restoration and aftercare and associated works. In addition, the construction of an underground tunnel between Doves Nest Farm and land at Wilton that links to the mine below ground, comprising 1 no. shaft at Doves Nest Farm, 3 no. intermediate access shaft sites, each with associated landforming of associated spoil, the construction of buildings, access roads and car parking, landscaping, restoration and aftercare, and the construction of a tunnel portal at Wilton comprising buildings, landforming of spoil and associated works.”

R/2014/0627/FFM

In tandem with the above, RCBC granted planning permission on 19 August 2015 (ref. r/2014/0627/FFM) for the areas of development within the area of its administrative control (including the Lockwood Beck and Tocketts Lythe intermediate shaft sites and the tunnel portal at Wilton International). The permission was granted by RCBC subject to 35 planning conditions and S106 Agreement. The description of development is the same as for NYM/2014/0676/MEIA granted by the NYMNPA. This permission has been implemented at Lockwood Beck and the MTS Portal site at Wilton. No works have commenced at Tocketts Lythe.

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2.9

NYM/2017/0505/MEIA

On 6 February 2017, the NYMNPA granted planning permission to amend the planning permission ref. NYM/2014/0676/MEIA under S73 of the TCPA 1990. The amendments comprised various design changes at Woodsmith Mine, including a re-design of foreshafts and shaft construction methodology, changes to building layout and shaft access arrangements, revisions to construction and operational shaft platform levels, revisions to location and layout of surface water attenuation ponds, revisions to groundwater management arrangements and amendments to internal access arrangements (ref. NYM/2017/0505/MEIA).

2.10

The amended scheme was approved subject to 98 planning conditions, and a deed of variation to the originally approved Section 106 Agreement was entered into.

2.11

The description of development is as follows:

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“Variation of condition 5 of planning permission NYM/2014/0676/MEIA to allow minor material amendments relating to that part of the development at the Woodsmith Mine site (formerly known as Doves Nest Farm and Haxby Plantation), including; re-design of foreshafts and shaft construction methodology, changes to building layout and shaft access arrangements, revisions to construction and operational shaft platform levels, revisions to location and layout of surface water attenuation ponds, revisions to groundwater management arrangements and amendments to internal access road arrangements.”

Non-Material Amendments

Since the above planning permissions were granted, the NYMNPA and RCBC have approved various non-material amendments to the approved planning permissions in their respective areas (under Section 96A of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990).

2.13

Construction Phases

Construction works at the mine, MTS shafts and portal have been pursued under a series of ‘Phases’, which has involved the discharge of conditions for each Phase relating to the above permissions. In some cases, conditions have only been partially discharged, pending full discharge once the final Phase of development has been reached.

2.14

The Importance of the Development

As outlined within the original planning application, the approved development is of strategic importance, delivering national, regional and local economic benefits, as well as contributing towards satisfying a growing agronomic need. The materials submitted with the original application set out the exceptional circumstances associated with the project, necessary for a scheme of this nature to be positively considered within a National Park. Whilst the detail of the scheme was the subject of assessment and scrutiny, the key characteristics of the Woodsmith Project were central to the planning justification for the application. Combined, these characteristics were acknowledged as exceptional circumstances sufficient to justify major development in the National Park. The requirements of the Major Development Test, as defined at paragraph 190 of the National Policy Framework (2025), the pre-eminent planning policy relevant for the scheme, were considered, on-balance to be satisfied.

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2.16

Need for the Amendments to the Approved Scheme

Since acquiring the Woodsmith Project in 2020, Anglo American has carried out a comprehensive technical review to optimise the project’s design and delivery. This review has identified a series of engineering enhancements aimed at ensuring the project’s long- term safety, efficiency, and operational reliability.

2.17

In determining the final design, Anglo American has focused on:

2.18

• Meeting its high operating and safety standards; and

• The responsibility to ensure the Project is sensitive to its location in the National Park and RCBC area.

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The Woodsmith Project - S73 Project Amendments : Planning Statement

In line with these findings and priorities, the following key amendments to the previously approved scheme are proposed: 1 Woodsmith Mine: In order to ensure the safe and efficient operation of the Woodsmith Mine, the installation of a ventilation shaft and associated temporary winding tower, alongside an overall increase in permanent surface development and minor amendments to the final landscaping scheme. The plans also include the consolidation of buildings into a single area within the site; 2 Ladycross Plantation: Development of a small agricultural-style building to enclose the shaft, accompanied by the construction of an attenuation pond and a new access road into the site; 3 Lockwood Beck: Limited additional surface development is proposed including the installation of fire water tanks and pump station, wastewater storage tanks and a substation; and

2.19

4 Tocketts Lythe: Removal of requirement for site to be developed entirely.

Full details of the proposed amendments are provided in Section 4.0 of this document and detailed in the accompanying Design and Access Statement.

2.20

Consultation in respect of the Amendments to the Development This submission has been prepared following extensive consultation with key stakeholders including planning officers, local ward councillors and residents via a range of means including a leaflet drop, public exhibitions a dedicated website and an online questionnaire to gather feedback on the proposal. Further details of the pre-application consultation which has been undertaken is included in the accompanying Statement of Community Involvement. As part of pre-application discussions, it was agreed with NYMNPA and RCBC that the proposed amendments were capable of being pursued under S73 of the Town & Country Planning Act 1990.

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The Woodsmith Project - S73 Project Amendments : Planning Statement

Site Description

3.0

The extent of the Woodsmith Project is shown on Figure 3.1, below, and comprises the following four areas: 1 The land that is subject of the above-ground Woodsmith Mine and Mineral Transport System works; 2 The Mineable Area i.e. the area that includes the widest possible extent of the below- ground mining activities; 3 The MTS route that links the Mine to the Wilton site. The route of the below-ground MTS includes land required for the above-ground intermediate sites, including Lockwood Beck and Ladycross Plantation; and 4 Land at Wilton International , where the MTS Portal is located. Whilst this is included within the red boundary of this application, no changes are proposed in respect of this element of the Project.

3.1

Figure 3.1 Woodsmith Project – Site Locations

Woodsmith Mine

Woodsmith Mine site is situated approximately 4km south of the outskirts of Whitby and wholly within the boundary of the North York Moors National Park. The site is bound to the north and east by areas of farmland and woodland and, to the west and south, by the route of the B1416, which runs from Whitby to the north to a junction

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The Woodsmith Project - S73 Project Amendments : Planning Statement

with the A171 Robin Hood's Bay Road, approximately 2km to the south-east of the Woodsmith Mine (formerly Dove's Nest Farm). Beyond the B1416 are Ugglebarnby Moor and Sneaton Low Moor, both of which are components of the larger North York Moors Special Area of Conservation/Special Protection Area. The small hamlets of Littlebeck (approximately 1km to the west) and Sneatonthorpe (approximately 1km from Woodsmith Mine site boundary, towards the north-east) are the closest settlements to the site. Existing vehicular access to the site is directly from the B1416 to the south. Two minor emergency accesses exist from the west and directly from the B1416. The site is surrounded by tree and shrub screening. The highest parts of the site are to the west and south, sloping gently downwards towards the east.

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3.5

Development to date

The site was formerly in agricultural use but is now at an advanced stage of construction. Construction commenced in May 2017, with site preparation works, including the creation of a new site access to/from the B1416 to the south of the site, construction of the working platforms, installation of site drainage, site welfare, utilities and services. The main platform comprises of three areas: Welfare; the Production, Service and MTS Shafts; along with interconnecting haul road, pathways and ancillary laydown areas. Sinking of the two deep shafts, the Service and Production shafts, and the MTS Shaft has commenced with the two deep shafts reaching a depth of 874m and 712m below ground level respectively. The MTS shaft has been fully sunk to a depth of 360m and horizontal development works have been undertaken.

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3.8

Construction of the above ground shaft infrastructure has also taken place.

3.9

Ladycross Plantation

Ladycross Plantation is located approximately 29.3km from Wilton and 7.4km from Woodsmith Mine, within the administrative boundary of the NYMNPA.

3.10

The site is located in two areas of grassland, bordered by planted woodland, within the Ladycross Plantation. A public right of way runs north-south across both fields. The A171 runs directly to the north of the Plantation with access to the site being made from a road running from a junction with the A171 to the north-east in a south-westerly direction towards the village of Egton - approximately 1km to the south of the site. Ladycross Plantation, and the site, slopes gently down from the north towards the south. The plantation is also home to an existing caravan site, located to the north-east/east, outside the development boundary.

3.11

Development to date

Site establishment started in 2021, including platform development, and installation of the drainage, roadways, gatehouse, workshop, carpark and offices/welfare. The shaft has been sunk to a total depth of 380m in order to connect to the MTS tunnel via a 20m long horizontal passage.

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The Woodsmith Project - S73 Project Amendments : Planning Statement

Lockwood Beck

The Lockwood Beck site is approximately 12.7km from the MTS Portal at Wilton, within the administrative boundary of RCBC. The site is located in an area of mixed farmland and woodland. The Lockwood Beck watercourse that gives the site its name, runs in a narrow, wooded valley through the centre of the site. The eastern development boundary is also marked by an area of woodland. The gradients of the site generally fall from the south and west towards the north. Access to the site is from the A171 to the south. Beyond the road is Lockwood Beck Reservoir and areas of moorland extending away from the site towards the south and south-west. To the west runs Stanghow Road, north towards the village of Lingdale.

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3.15

Development to date

Site preparatory works commenced in 2017 with the creation of the platform and drainage, and installation of facilities including the gatehouse, welfare, office space, workshop and a secure storage unit in the north of the site. The site operation is supported by onsite electrical substations, water tanks and pumphouse. The shaft has been sunk to a total depth of 380m and connected to the MTS tunnel via a 20m long horizontal passage.

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3.17

MTS Tunnel Portal

The MTS Tunnel Portal, constructed in 2018/2019, is located on the Wilton International site.

3.18

Development to date

The MTS Tunnel Portal is complete. The Tunnel Boring Machine (“TBM”) was launched from this location, driving the MTS tunnel back towards Woodsmith Mine. While changes to the surface development of the intermediate shaft sites are proposed, there are no proposed changes to the tunnelling methodology as part of the current planning application. All current conditions and controls will remain in place and there will be no new or materially changed environmental or social impacts associated with tunnelling activities.

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The Woodsmith Project - S73 Project Amendments : Planning Statement

Proposed Amendments

4.0

During the course of construction of the Project, Anglo American has identified a number of design enhancements that are necessary to ensure the safe and efficient operation of the Project for the long-term. The design amendments to Woodsmith Mine and MTS sites are within the existing development boundaries and results in no greater lateral footprint than currently approved. The development at Woodsmith Mine has been consolidated to the area already impacted by the construction phase, with no additional ground disturbance to that already planned and approved. In respect of the construction of the MTS, Anglo American has been able to progress this using just one Tunnel Boring Machine (“TBM”), when it had previously been planned to use up to five. This, in turn, has allowed the TBM launch shafts at Ladycross Plantation and Lockwood Beck to be removed from the Project. Instead, the revised proposals seek to retain the existing shafts that were sunk to facilitate tunnel construction by the single TBM. In association with the above, the development footprint at Ladycross Plantation and Lockwood Beck will reduce, with the removal of areas of land previously required for permanent land forming, landfill waste management and the creation of associated roadways and surface water drainage features. Tocketts Lythe has been removed from the scheme in its entirety and is proposed to be formally deleted from the description of development for each relevant planning permission via S96A ‘non-material’ amendment applications that have been submitted in parallel. Whilst the full extent of the proposed amendments is shown on the plans which accompany this submission, a detailed description of the proposed key changes is set out below, alongside commentary as to how these have been derived; why they are required; and what alternative approaches to development have been considered.

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Woodsmith Mine

The continued design development of the Woodsmith Mine site has resulted in the retention of a larger permanent platform area, with more buildings but an overall reduction in the lateral extent of development from that already approved. Maximum building ridge heights for Mine buildings have been retained at circa. 212.8m AOD. The amendments seek to consolidate the development by concentrating the majority of the permanent structures on the main shaft platform, sitting behind the landscape screening bunds. The welfare facility will also be relocated to the main platform area from its approved location in the woodland of Haxby Plantation. The proposed key amendments to the scheme at Woodsmith Mine are described in further detail below, with the full extent of changes shown on the drawings which accompany the submission.

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4.8

Production and Service Shaft Buildings

The Production Shaft building, used to house the winding hoists and associated equipment and to hoist ore from pit bottom to the -360m level to connect with the MTS conveyor, will

4.9

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The Woodsmith Project - S73 Project Amendments : Planning Statement

continue to sit over the head frame chamber and shaft. While the building will remain broadly the same size as that currently approved under NYM/2017/0505/MEIA, the layout has been amended to offset the southern portion of the southern winder building (see Drawing Nos. 1121-WOB-PA-31-00009, 1121-WOB-PA-31-00010 and 1121-WOB-PA-31- 00011). This amendment is necessary to accommodate the rail logistics hub for the Service Shaft (see below). The Service Shaft building houses the winding hoist and associated equipment and will sit over the head frame chamber and shaft that will transport workers and materials underground. The Service Shaft building will increase in size from that currently approved under NYM/2017/0505/MEIA, due to the construction of a rail logistics hub, located on the east side of the building. This results in a building with maximum parameters of 98.8m x 73m and a maximum elevation of 212.74m AOD (see Drawing Nos. 1221-WOB-PA-31- 00009, 1221-WOB-PA-31-00010 and 1221-WOB-PA-31-00011). The rail logistics hub will be the central handling point for all consumables delivered to the mine and allows for the movement of materials, primarily to the Service Shaft, to occur under cover rather than the previous position, in which this would have occurred outdoors. This results in an overall reduction in the levels of noise and light disturbance. Whilst there are no proposed amendments to the shafts within these buildings, the construction headframes within both the Service Shaft and Production Shaft foreshafts used during the shaft sinking and equipping phase will be replaced with an operational configuration. This will involve using a tower crane to lift the sinking headframe out of the foreshaft, and to lower in the preassembled operational headframe at each shaft. The tower crane will be situated so it can serve both shafts from one location.

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4.11

Ventilation and Cooling System

The redesigned ventilation and cooling system, as revised from planning permissions NYM/2014/0676/MEIA and NYM/2017/0505/MEIA, is fundamental to the safe and efficient operation of Woodsmith Mine. The proposal includes the construction of a full- depth Ventilation Shaft extending to the Production Level, thereby enhancing the total underground ventilation capacity. This will ensure adequate dilution of respirable dust and other airborne contaminants and secure the required airflow and thermal conditions underground across the full range of anticipated surface weather scenarios. These same objectives cannot be achieved through the ‘shallow’ vent shaft arrangement previously permitted under application ref. NYM/2018/0470/NM. Under the revised configuration, both the Production and Service Shafts will operate as intake shafts (via the MTS), while the new Ventilation Shaft will function as a dedicated exhaust. This arrangement also provides the operational advantage of two independent fresh-air intake shafts available for emergency egress. The Ventilation Shaft will not provide access for personnel or materials, nor will it facilitate the lifting of ore. No permanent hoisting system will be installed following completion of the shaft. The alternative would be to develop ventilation elsewhere within the wider project area. The ventilation and cooling has remained at Woodsmith Mine to minimise footprint and ensure development within the previously established construction area, behind the landscape screening bunds. There is no practicable alternative to the proposed ventilation infrastructure.

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The Woodsmith Project - S73 Project Amendments : Planning Statement

Cooling of the mine air will form an integral part of the overall ventilation strategy, ensuring that underground workplace temperatures remain within acceptable limits to prevent the risk of heat-related illness, as far as reasonably practicable. The cooling system will comprise bulk air coolers, a surface refrigeration plant, and heat exchange units, which together will deliver cooled air via the MTS Shaft.

4.15

Ventilation Shaft

The proposed Ventilation Shaft is required to meet Anglo American standards for ventilation and cooling and to provide safe and efficient working conditions, at full production. The Ventilation Shaft will have an internal diameter of 8m and will be fully lined to a depth of approximately 1,600m below ground level (BGL), consistent with the design of the existing Production and Service Shafts. Construction will commence with a pre-sink phase utilising a Vertical Sinking Machine (VSM), which will operate submerged underwater to excavate to approximately 120m BGL. During this stage, associated site infrastructure — including a sprung-type canvas-covered stage winder house, workshops, and offices — will be erected. The final sinking methodology remains subject to detailed design and may employ either, or a combination of, traditional drill-and-blast techniques with a galloway (as used for the MTS Shaft), or a Shaft Boring Roadheader (SBR) approach (as used for the Production and Service Shafts). Following completion of the pre-sink phase and installation of the selected sinking system, a headframe (winding tower) of approximately 45m in height will be installed.

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Ventilation Fan Station

A surface Ventilation Fan Station is required in association with the Ventilation Shaft. It will be constructed adjacent to the Ventilation Shaft to house the extraction fans, drawing air from the production levels. The Fan Station will function as the surface exhaust point for the mine’s ventilation and cooling system and will be orientated to the east of the Ventilation Shaft. Locating the primary fans on the surface will reduce the potential for condensation plume formation by allowing heat addition and lower relative humidity. The Fan Station building will measure approximately 63m in length by 52m in width and will reach a maximum elevation of 212.8m AOD. The structure will be clad in dark green profiled metal sheeting consistent with the wider project design palette. To mitigate the visual and acoustic scale of the building and to accommodate internal dust and noise attenuation equipment, the fans will be partially recessed below ground level. The basement excavation, up to 16m deep (12m to finished floor level), will be retained by a soldier-piled wall with a reinforced concrete lining. Alternative designs for the Fan Station building included all equipment being provided at surface level. However, this gave rise to a more prominent and taller building that would exceed the maximum ridge height of existing buildings and would provide less noise attenuation for the fans. This option was subsequently discounted as being less appropriate to the National Park setting.

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Bulk Air Cooling (BAC) Plant

The Bulk Air Cooling (BAC) Plant is required to provide the volumes of air for ventilation and cooling necessary for the safe and efficient operation of the mine. The cooling equipment will be connected to the MTS Shaft, which will become the air intake shaft for the mine.

4.23

The BAC Plant will comprise three principal components:

4.24

Bulk Air Coolers (BACs)

The BAC building on the surface over the MTS shaft is 35.5m in length and 16m in width. It will cool intake air prior to its passage down the MTS Shaft and into the mine workings. The design of the coolers into the building removes the requirement for a separate permanent shaft building at the MTS Shaft.

Refrigeration Plant

The surface-mounted refrigeration plant, located to the north of the MTS Shaft, will occupy an area of approximately 27m by 23m. It will consist of modular, factory- assembled, non-toxic refrigeration machines designed to be phased in over time as operational demand increases. The plant will supply chilled water to the BAC units via a closed-loop system.

Heat Exchange Units

A hybrid cooling system comprising two rows of five Heat Exchange Units will be installed on the surface north of the Production Shaft headhouse, with a total footprint of approximately 91m by 17.5m. These units will cool the warm water received from the refrigeration plant. Mist eliminators will be fitted to each unit to minimise visible atmospheric condensation plumes. An option to provide the BAC plant underground was considered as an alternative. However, this would have required a wet condensing system to have been installed to allow the rejection of heat in the hot return roadways of the mine. In turn, this would have introduced significant quantities of moisture in the exhaust air of the mine which has the potential to condense as the air travels up the Ventilation Shaft. Modelling indicated that this would result in a condensation plume being emitted during the summer season which would potentially be visible offsite. This option was subsequently ruled out as a result of its potential visual impact.

4.25

Welfare Building

During the construction period, the existing welfare areas comprising the main office and canteen, the change house, and the Service Shaft office, Production Shaft office and MTS Shaft office will continue to be utilised. During construction the existing car parking provision will be retained. In the Operational Phase, the temporary construction welfare will be replaced with the permanent welfare. This structure will be relocated closer to the shaft buildings than currently approved. This amendment allows the welfare building to be positioned to better support operational requirements. It removes the requirement for additional tree felling in the Haxby Plantation. This amendment allows for the consolidation of the overall lateral

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The Woodsmith Project - S73 Project Amendments : Planning Statement

extent of development and concentrating the main permanent buildings on the shaft platforms. These are then set behind the landscaping bunds, thus minimising development to the south of the site. The two-storey welfare building will be 83m in length, 37m in width, with a ridgeline at 212.8m AOD. The building will provide facilities, including a change house, kitchen/canteen, medical centre, offices, and meeting/conference rooms all in one space. The building design will be clad either with wood or dark green coated, profiled metal cladding with dark grey sheet metal roofs. Light spill from window openings will be controlled by shutters during the hours of darkness. The building will be positioned on a concrete plinth. The roof will comprise a non-reflective material. To the south of the building will be a covered bus terminal (pick up/drop off) and walkway, for workers and visitors to arrive on site. A new car park will be constructed adjacent to the building, consisting of 75 car parking spaces, including four accessible spaces, and 15 larger work van spaces. A proportion of parking spaces will have electrical vehicle charging points. Most workers and visitors are anticipated to arrive via the Park & Ride services, with private vehicle access minimised and controlled via the issue of permits. The Welfare area also includes an emergency helicopter landing point, to the south of the building. This has been relocated from the previously approved layout so that it remains close to the revised Welfare area.

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4.31

Logistics

The following developments are proposed to support the logistics and operation of the Woodsmith site:

4.32

Rail Logistics Hub

A rail logistics hub will be constructed as part of the Service Shaft building to facilitate the supply of consumables, materials, and spare parts to the mine throughout its operation. The materials described above will be transported to Woodsmith Mine via HGV freight transport, in consolidated containers that can be lowered down the Service Shaft. The rail logistics hub provides a covered and screened building within which to undertake the unloading of HGVs and the loading of containers onto rail carts for transfer inside of the Service Shaft building. This approach minimises noise and visual disturbance that could be caused by the logistics process and these activities otherwise being undertaken externally.

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4.34

Northern and Southern Facility Hubs

Maintenance spaces will be required at the operational stage of development. As such, a maintenance workshop and warehousing space will be required, for which purpose, the existing temporary winder houses for the Production and Service Shafts will be retained. These buildings have been present on the site for several years, are well screened from external views and would not lead to any new or altered environmental or social impacts.

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The Woodsmith Project - S73 Project Amendments : Planning Statement

An alternative approach would be to provide new purpose-built buildings. However, this would add to the construction programme and undermine the opportunity to repurpose existing resources in line with sustainability principles.

4.36

Security/Gatehouse

The existing construction phase gatehouse will continue to be utilised until the operational gatehouse is constructed. The operational gatehouse has been redesigned and relocated further into site, reflecting the change in location of the welfare building, and reducing views of the development from the B1416. The operational gatehouse will be located on the access road into the site and will monitor and control the access of vehicles entering the Woodsmith Mine site. Access will be via a controlled barrier/gate. The gatehouse will be 12m in length, 9m wide and 5m high. Adjacent to the gatehouse, a staging area to accommodate nine HGVs will be constructed to avoid the formation of queues on the access road, and to provide safe access for drivers and security staff. A small parking area will be constructed to accommodate the cars/work vans of visitors to the gatehouse.

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4.38

4.39

Secure Storage Units

The secure storage units approved under discharge of conditions ref. NYM/2017/0505/MEIA will be retained into operations.

4.40

The alternative of removing the secure storage units would give rise to a need for more frequent and less efficient deliveries of smaller loads.

4.41

Substation

To supply the later construction phase and future operations and to allow for efficient power reticulation around the mine, a standalone substation with 66kV Gas Insulated Switchgear (GIS), 66/33kV transformers and 33kV GIS switchgear will be constructed on the northern platform area. The new substation replaces the previously approved substation - which was of a slightly different configuration – to the immediate south-west of the Service Shaft building.

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4.43

Landscape Bunding

As currently approved, Mine buildings will be visually screened by the amended landscaping and a combination of existing woodland and scrub cover and the habitat enhancement planting that will be delivered as part of Woodsmith Mine’s Landscape and Ecological Management Plan (LEMP). The wider amendments to the Project have had an effect on the volume of extractive material available to create the landscaping bunds required to screen Woodsmith Mine from external views. As such, there is a total reduction in material to be stored at Woodsmith Mine of 223,903m3. This reduction results in a requirement to amend the design of the landscaping to ensure it is able to meet the long-term screening requirements of the Woodsmith Mine from external views in the surrounding environment.

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The Woodsmith Project - S73 Project Amendments : Planning Statement

To accommodate these amendments, the toe of the inner face of Bund F has been moved to the north and east, and the inner face has been steepened to a 1:1 strengthened embankment (reinforced soil slope). The outer face of Bund F will generally be at a 1:5 gradient, with isolated sections at 1:4. Bund F has been extended to the south to provide continuous screening, and the access road to the ponds will be realigned to the south of Bund F. The reconfiguration of Bund F and the reduction in development at the southern end of the site means the required screening can be achieved without the construction of Bunds D and E. Bund C has been reconfigured to provide screening of lights from the gatehouse, HGV reception area and access road from views along the B1416, while tying into original contours and restoring habitat for biodiversity enhancement and promoting sustainable surface water drainage.

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4.48

Surface Water Drainage

While an updated surface water drainage design is provided as part of this application, there is no proposed change to the water management principles and practices that have been applied at Woodsmith Mine throughout construction and as approved under NYM/2017/0505/MEIA. Surface water runoff will continue to be directed to the existing attenuation ponds via a series of oil water separators, filter drains and swales with check dams and carrier pipes. Two additional ponds will be constructed in the south of the site. The water treatment building and plant installed under Phase 7 of NYM/2017/0505/MEIA will remain in use. The water treatment building has been in place for several years, is of an agricultural design, sensitive to its settings and well screened from external views. An alternative approach to retaining the building would be to hire in mobile kit during periods of poor weather but, given the need for this to be undertaken externally, would give rise to additional noise and light impacts.

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4.51

Fire & Wastewater Storage Tanks

The existing four fire and process water tanks will be retained. Two additional water storage tanks with a combined capacity of 1,242m3 will be used for the supply for fire (530m3 reserved volume) and service water for both above ground and underground mining facilities during construction. These facilities are required to ensure the safe and efficient operation of the mine and have been designed to be as recessive as practically possible, notwithstanding their required volumes.

4.52

HGV Movements

Peak daily movements of HGVs during the construction and operation phases are anticipated to be: • c.140 two-way HGV movements per day during construction (i.e. a slight increase compared to current permitted level of 126);

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The Woodsmith Project - S73 Project Amendments : Planning Statement

• c.200 two-way HGV movements for c.6 months as polyhalite is transported during the construction phase and;

• c. 80 two-way HGV movements during full operations.

It is important to note that peaks are presented for worst case analysis in the accompanying Supplementary Environmental Statement. Long-term averages are expected to be lower, as they have been throughout the construction period to date (average of 80, versus current permitted level of 126). Logistics will continue to be managed in accordance with the existing controls and collaboration with the established Traffic Management Liaison Group. The use of the MTS tunnel for logistics was evaluated as a potential alternative; however, the mine’s consumable requirements render the tunnel rail system unsuitable for this purpose.

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4.55

MTS Sites

The proposed amendments at the MTS sites, Ladycross Plantation, Lockwood Beck and Tocketts Lythe, are summarised below.

4.56

As noted previously, the development footprint at Ladycross Plantation and Lockwood Beck will reduce, with the removal of areas of land previously required for permanent land forming, landfill waste management and the creation of associated roadways and surface water drainage features. Tocketts Lythe has been removed from the scheme in its entirety.

4.57

Ladycross Plantation MTS Site

Shaft and Tunnel Access

Following the opportunity to reduce the number TBMs across the Project and the associated launch shafts, the 45m temporary headhouse is no longer required at the Ladycross Plantation site and has been removed from the proposals. Once construction of the tunnel is complete, the double-level lift (‘Alimak’) will be modified to a single level lift, and the permanent 22m x 22m x 8m high headhouse will be erected. The building will be constructed of pre-cast concrete clad with corrugated metal cladding and roof sheeting, subject to final design and approval of external materials by NYMNPA. The building and surrounds will remain on the existing formed pad. A loading bay will be included on the northern side of the building for equipment loading and unloading into the headhouse. An emergency winch, Hydraulic Power Unit (HPU) and emergency back-up diesel generator will be located to the south of the headhouse, contained within a lightweight cladded structure measuring 13.2m x 3.5m x 3.5m high. This application seeks to regularise the shaft location and diameter constructed under discharge of conditions, so the Ladycross Plantation shaft can be maintained for the life of the Project.

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The Woodsmith Project - S73 Project Amendments : Planning Statement

Welfare/Parking

For the duration of construction, there is no anticipated change to the existing construction welfare and car parking. At the end of the construction period, the temporary construction infrastructure will be removed, including the offices/welfare and associated services, the carpark and workshops. In operation, no welfare facilities will be provided at Ladycross Plantation. Parking will be provided adjacent to the headhouse for maintenance personnel.

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Security/Gatehouse

The existing construction gatehouse will continue to be used for the duration of the construction period. The existing construction gatehouse will be removed within the operation phase and replaced with a security gate with site entry gained via access card.

4.64

Warehousing/Workshops

The existing construction workshop will be used for the duration of the construction period only and removed within the operation phase.

4.65

Power

Mains electricity is provided from existing NPG kiosks and provides power to all surface facilities and equipment during construction and operation. The existing NPG kiosk substation (4m x 4m in footprint, 2.5m in height) will remain into operation. The existing Anglo American mains distribution assembly kiosk (4m x 4m in footprint, 2.5m in height) will also remain into operations to provide distribution to the surface infrastructure. Emergency back-up power is provided by a 250kVA generator. The generator will be operated for emergency situations only, to power the emergency winch if a power outage/failure causes the Alimak to stop in service and then requires retrieval, or for short periods for inspections and maintenance.

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Surface Water Drainage

During construction, all surface water within the construction site is routed to the construction attenuation pond and treated prior to discharge to Cat Scar Beck, providing attenuation for a 1 in 20-year storm event and discharged in accordance with an Environmental Permit granted by the Environment Agency (Permit EPR/XB3696EZ). Surface water outside the construction site is diverted via a perimeter swale to Cat Scar Beck or drain naturally to Cold Keld Beck. During operation, when the platform area reduces, the perimeter swale will be relocated closer to the operational platform. A new, naturally shaped attenuation pond will be installed to the south of the platform, and discharge through gravity to Cat Scar Beck, providing attenuation for a 1 in 100-year storm event, plus 40% allowance for climate change.

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