THE next stage in the project to build a billion pound potash mine in North Yorkshire has been undertaken as documents are submitted to address environmental concerns.

Sirius Minerals submitted its second application for the York Potash project to the North York Moors National Park Authority in September last year. It withdrew its first application in 2013.

The firm hoped to received a decision over its plans for a potash mine at Sneaton, near Whitby, last month, but planning officers at the authority issued an update stating they were undertaking a “critical path analysis”, requesting further information from Sirius following concerns about the impact on the environment.

In an update on the approvals process, Sirius said it had this week submitted the Supplementary Environmental Information (SEI) for its mine and mineral transport system to the relevant local authorities.

The documentation will be available on both the local authority and the company websites in the coming days.

The company said it is not expecting to have to provide any further substantive information to the authorities and looks forward to the determination of the applications in the near future.

With the process carrying a 16-week timescale, any planning decisions on the project are now expected to come in May, this is at the earliest.

The North York Moors National Park Authority is considering the application for the mine, which will unearth potash to be distributed as a plant fertiliser, with the creation of 1,000 direct jobs.

At the same time an application has been submitted to Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council for a mineral transport system, which will take the potash to Wilton, near Redcar, for processing.