Project Amendments
The planning application for the Mine and MTS, which will be submitted in early 2026, will be seeking approval for amendments to the design of the originally granted planning permission in 2015, and subsequent amendments approved in 2018.
As a project of this scale is developed and becomes more defined, it is usual that amendments that optimise design are identified. Following our detailed technical review, the proposed Life of Mine changes will meet our high operational and safety standards, whilst limiting the project’s impact on the National Park, and delivering long-term benefits in the area.
The planning application will be submitted to both the North York Moors National Park Authority and Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council, as the Mine and MTS falls within both administrative boundaries. Please see the location of each site on the map below and scroll down to find further information about the proposed amendments.
Woodsmith Mine
In summary, the amendments to our ventilation, cooling and logistics requirements, which are necessary to ensure the safe and efficient operation of the mine, will increase the number of buildings at the site.
However, the development footprint will be consolidated to one area of the site and will still be screened by the landscaping and planting plans.
See more detailed information about our amended proposals below.
Ventilation system
The main amendment is the requirement to alter the location of the currently approved ventilation shaft and for it to be sunk to the Mine production level of 1600m. A temporary winding tower will be needed to sink the shaft, which will be removed when the Mine is operational. Associated surface development will include a ventilation fan station, air coolers, refrigeration plant and heat exchange system.
The amendments are the outcome of a review of the Mine’s ventilation requirements which identified a need to increase both the ventilation airflow and cooling load to maintain safe workplace temperatures.
​Retention of current temporary structures
We propose to retain a limited number of temporary buildings, currently used to support construction activities, to meet our operational requirements for maintenance, warehousing and surface water treatment.
Relocation of permitted buildings
The welfare building, carpark, security / gatehouse and substation will be moved to different parts of the site.
Moving the welfare building, which is currently approved to be constructed in the woodland area close to the site entrance off the B1416, helps to consolidate surface development to one area of the site, behind the landscaping and planting.
Amended logistics strategy
As we have developed the logistics plan for the consumables, materials and spare parts needed for operations, it has become clear that we need more deliveries to the Mine than initially expected.
We now anticipate that HGV movements will be c.40 deliveries a day when the project is fully operational, which is consistent with the level of our construction HGVs to date.
3D visualisation of the mine
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Construction and Operation image
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Intermediate Shafts
We have been able to construct the MTS using just one tunnel boring machine, when we had previously planned to use up to five.
This means we can formally remove from our planning application the tunnel boring machine (TBM) launch shafts at Ladycross Plantation and Lockwood Beck. Instead, the planning application will seek to retain the existing shafts that were sunk to facilitate tunnel construction by the single TBM.
This amendment has the additional benefits of removing the requirement for temporary 45m tall winding towers during construction, and the use of these sites to permanently store excavated material from the tunnel at both sites. We can also remove the need to develop a site at Tocketts Lythe in its entirety.
Ladycross Plantation
Apart from the changes described above, the proposals for Ladycross Plantation are very similar to those previously approved.
When the project is operational the shaft will be covered with a small agricultural style building. An emergency rescue winch, electrical infrastructure and a surface water pond will be the only other permanent development.
The locations of the shaft and access road have moved from their original locations in our existing permission.
Lockwood Beck
The existing permission for operations is very similar to Ladycross Plantation. Apart from removing the need to use the site to store the excavated material, other proposed changes include limited additional surface development, including fire water tanks and pump station, wastewater storage tanks, and an electrical substation.
The headhouse, which will cover the shaft and be designed in an agricultural style, will incorporate a small office, and emergency exhaust fans. This will be sensitively designed to suit the site’s agricultural setting and will be partially screened.
Lockwood Beck site, operations
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