A PROPOSED fertiliser mine planned for the North York Moors National Park would have a significant detrimental impact on many of the park’s “special qualities”, according to an environmental report.

The study, commissioned by the park authority for its own assessment of the York Potash planning application, concluded the plans will have a “major adverse” impact on nine features intrinsic to the character of North York Moors National Park, such as its sense of tranquillity and “strong feeling of remoteness”.

The study by environmental consultant Amec Foster Wheeler said “wide sweeps of open moorland” along with the park’s diversity of countryside for recreation would be moderately to majorly affected during construction.

It said the park’s “abundance of forestry and woodland” and its character as a place of artistic, scientific and literary inspiration would also suffer “major adverse” consequences.

During construction, it is also expected there will be an average of 92 lorry movements a day between Lady Cross Plantation at Egton Low Moor and Dove’s Nest Farm.

On another route, between Guisborough and Lockwood Beck, there is an anticipated 136 journeys a day over nearly four years.

The journeys would increase traffic on these routes in summer by between 11 per cent and more than 150 per cent on the road to the minehead entrance.

The report did, however, concede it was evident from the mining and mineral proposals that York Potash had set out with the objective of “minimising the surface presence” of key infrastructure elements of the project, adding: “this approach is appreciated and should be commended.”

Sirius Minerals, which is behind the project, has pledged £30m for promoting the national park, Whitby and the Yorkshire Coast as part of its 106 contribution proposals for the project, which have been pledged at £175m over the project's 00 plus year lifetime.

The money also includes £126m during the life of the permission for tree planting.

The North York Moors Park Authority has commissioned a number of reports to examine different aspects of the York Potash planning application, due to be considered by the park’s planning committee on June 30.

It is believed plans for the £1.5bn fertiliser mine make up the largest ever proposed project for a national park and would also be the world’s largest potash mine. It is expected to directly employ more than 1,000 people.

Planning officers have already indicated they will not be recommending to members whether the scheme should be approved. In a highly unusual course of action, they have decided to issue an open recommendation, which means members will not be given firm guidance from officers on how to vote on the plans.

Sirius Minerals did not wish to comment ahead of the meeting.