PLANS to build a £1.5bn fertiliser mine creating and supporting thousands of jobs have received further impetus.

Sirius Minerals says proposals for a factory to handle the mineral polyhalite have been backed by Redcar and Cleveland Council.

The plant, at Wilton, near Redcar, forms a key part of the company’s York Potash Project, which is focused on mining the fertiliser from a site near Whitby.

The approval, given under council officers’ delegated powers and subject to conclusion of planning formalities, comes after the authority supported Sirius’ application to build the mine and a separate underground transport system to take the mineral to Wilton for granulation and storage.

The firm still needs the endorsement of the North York Moors National Park Authority for the mine and transport system.

Sirius says the mine, which will take 58 months to build, will create 1,040 direct jobs and support a further 1,010 in the construction and development phase, by extracting up to 13 million tonnes of polyhalite every year.

Chris Fraser, Sirius Minerals’ managing director and chief executive, said he was delighted the plans were moving forward.

He added: “This is another important and positive step for the development of the York Potash Project and the many jobs and benefits it can deliver to the region.”

Sirius also wants to build a harbour, earmarked for Bran Sands, on the mouth of the River Tees, to handle its polyhalite.

Last week, the company announced the first step in that application had been accepted by the Planning Inspectorate.

A final decision on the harbour, which also includes a proposed quay and ship loading equipment, is expected in summer 2016.

A spokeswoman previously told The Northern Echo: “There will be a period for interested parties to register their details and the Planning Inspectorate will decide when they undertake a preliminary hearing, which will last for two months.

“A full six-month examination will follow, and the Inspectorate officer will write a report for the Secretary of State to make a decision.”

Sirius already has a number of agreements with international companies to supply polyhalite, including Sinoagri, one of China’s largest fertiliser distributors, which is expected to receive 500,000 tonnes every year in a ten-year partnership.

Rival miner ICL Fertilizers, at Boulby, east Cleveland, has claimed it fears the development could cause a regional skills shortage and halt its own multi-million pound polyhalite expansion.