FEARS are growing York’s historic buildings could be put at risk after the mining industry dangled a £1.1 billion carrot in front of communities sitting on top of potential fortunes in shale gas.

A geological survey has revealed there could be enough of the fuel buried under the north of England to last the UK energy market for decades, including the countryside around York in a field which may extend to Scarborough.

Deposits may also be found under the North York Moors, and the Howardian Hills and Nidderdale Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty at levels twice as deep as the seams York Potash is seeking to mine.

Shale gas is extracted by the controversial “fracking” technique – pumping chemicals, water and sand into shale rock formations to release the gas. Critics have linked it the earthquakes in Blackpool.

Dave Merrett, City of York Council’s cabinet member for planning, said: “There are significant questions about the implications of this for climate change – and the impact on all our historic buildings.”

Once approved the Local Plan, currently out for consultation, would rule out any future developments taller than York Minster.

It would also ban development in the green belt for the next 40 years.

However, experts say by drilling at an angle it is possible to extract the fuel using off-site plant equipment.

Any future extraction scheme, however, could be on a collision course with the York Potash project to mine under the North York Moors National Park.

Mark Hill, head of development for the park, said: “The normal starting point is you do not extract minerals from protected landscapes, but we would have to look if there are any exceptional circumstances if the potash planning application and the potential gas field do overlap.”

Susie Cawood, head of York and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “If it provides economic benefits without causing damage it’s something we would be in favour – but there are a lot of ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’.”

York Central MP Hugh Bayley said: “We have to be careful with the geology so as not to pollute water supplies.

“Unlike Canada and America, Britain has much more densely populated areas which would be disturbed by underground activity.”