Development of former Selby mine to go ahead

6:46am Wednesday 20th June 2007

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A GOVERNMENT inspector has overruled Selby council bosses about the future of a former mine.

Now, instead of being returned to open countryside, the old Riccall mine will be redeveloped to replace the jobs that were lost when the mine closed.

But the controversial decision has split local opinion.

A public inquiry was held into the former Riccall mine site's future last month.

Owner UK Coal appealed against a decision by Selby District Council not to lift restrictions imposed on the original planning permission for the mine, which stated the site must be returned to agricultural use once mining ceased.

But planning inspector Edward Simpson said: "On balance, I conclude that the retention and reuse of existing buildings on the appeal site represents a sustainable approach to development, that outweighs the disbenefits of the location within an area of open countryside away from the urban centres of Selby."

Riccall Parish Council backing redevelopment.

Parish councillor John Duggan said: "I welcome the decision with one caveat - that UK Coal do as they've promised and consult with residents.

"We want the jobs to come here, but not at any cost."

He said the parish council was writing to UK Coal to organise a site visit for residents.

But the district council has consistently opposed any redevelopment on the site.

Riccall's district councillor, Liz Casling, said: "For the parish council, this is good news, and I hope UK Coal do keep their promises to the parish council.

"But I have concerns that once a big company like this gets on to the site, they will do what they want with it."

Coun Brian Percival, the district council's deputy leader, said the development was outside the area's urban centres and should not have been allowed.

He also raised questions about a fund set up when the original mining applications were passed in the 1970s, intended to pay for the site's return to agricultural use.

"I'm calling for UK Coal to invest the money from that fund in the public realm," he said.

"I think there's a minimum of £2.5 million in today's prices, which would have gone towards the reinstatement of agricultural land."

But a spokesman for UK Coal said the company had inherited no such ring-fenced fund when it went private in 1995.

He said: "Our objective now is to work with the local community to establish a centre of excellence there, to help replace jobs that were lost when Riccall ceased production as a mine."