Report

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

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Ladycross Plantation

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

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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.

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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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