Report

The Woodsmith Project - S73 Project Amendments : Planning Statement

In light of the above, the proposed amendments accord with Chapter 15 of the NPPF and are fully consistent with the requirements of Policy ENV7 and Policy D02. The evidence confirms that there would be no unacceptable impacts on groundwater, surface water, soil quality or wider hydrogeological receptors, and therefore no conflict with adopted development plan policy.

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Nutrient Neutrality

None of the three sites are located within a Nutrient Neutrality catchment. The nearest designated catchment is associated with the Teesmouth and Cleveland Coast SPA/Ramsar, approximately 6km to the east of Lockwood Beck. Woodsmith Mine and Ladycross Plantation fall within the Esk operational catchment (part of the Esk and Coast surface water management catchment), while Lockwood Beck lies within the Saltburn Coast operational catchment (part of the Tees surface water management catchment) but has no hydrological connection to the River Tees itself. As part of the Approved Development, there will be no new connections to the public sewage network and no direct discharge of treated domestic wastewater to surface water or groundwater. All domestic wastewater will instead be tankered off site to a water company treatment works for disposal as trade effluent. Land within the Approved Development boundaries at Woodsmith Mine, Ladycross Plantation and Lockwood Beck that was formerly used for grazing and cereal production has been out of agricultural use for several years, with no application of fertilisers or agrochemicals during that period. This has resulted in a substantial reduction in baseline nutrient inputs, which will be maintained throughout the operational life of the Mine. In addition to the above, a precautionary approach has been adopted in liaison with Natural England and the Environment Agency in respect of the discharge of abstracted groundwater during shaft sinking and construction. Groundwater is discharged under Environmental Permit (EPR/NB3498VD) via an outfall at Dabholm Gut, Teesside, and farmland within the Tees catchment is leased at a scale sufficient to offset the worst-case total nitrogen loading scenario associated with concurrent shaft sinking. As construction-phase discharges represent the greatest potential for nitrogen loading, and operational discharges will be lower in both volume and nutrient content, the combined measures — removal of agricultural land use, off-site wastewater treatment, and precautionary nitrogen offsetting — demonstrate a sustained net reduction in total nitrogen inputs compared with the former baseline. On this basis, nutrient neutrality is appropriately scoped out of further assessment within the SES.

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Landscape and Visual Impact

Strategic Policy A of the NYM Local Plan requires a positive approach to new development while giving overriding priority to conserving and enhancing the National Park’s natural beauty, wildlife, and cultural heritage. In terms of design, Strategic Policy C requires high- quality development that maintains and enhances the Park’s distinctive character. Proposals should use good quality materials that reflect the local vernacular, with siting, scale, and form that are compatible with surrounding buildings and that preserve or enhance views into and out of the site. Schemes are also expected to include high-quality landscaping and planting that reinforces local landscape character.

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