Plans to extract up to 23.5 million tonnes of ash from a disposal site adjacent to Drax Power Station have received approval from North Yorkshire Council. The mound, situated northwest of the power station near Selby, covers 161 hectares and reaches a height of up to 39 meters. It has been used for ash deposits from Drax since the 1970s.
The approved scheme allows for the recovery of ash for use in construction materials, such as concrete, thereby reducing the demand for virgin aggregates. The extraction process is anticipated to continue until 2045, with full restoration of the site expected by 2055.
Despite the approval by North Yorkshire Council, the local authority has imposed specific conditions regarding the operational hours of the extraction site, addressing concerns raised by local residents. Objections from three individuals cited issues including dust, noise, lighting, air pollution, and the visual impact on the landscape. Further concerns were noted regarding potential habitat loss, the substantial scale and duration of the project, and the removal of screening that currently shields the power station from nearby communities, as reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
Councillor Tim Thrall of Barlow Parish Council indicated that while there was no fundamental objection to the removal of the ash mound, the council had reservations about the adequacy of proposed mitigation measures to protect the quality of life for village residents. He stated, "However, we do have a number of concerns about whether mitigation measures are enough to impact the quality of life of the residents of the village."