PLANS for a major tourism venture on the site of a former coal mine near York are taking a major step forward.

Cheshire-based Flannigan Estates is seeking approval of the details of the scheme, which was given the go-ahead at the outline stage in March 2021.

The latest application submitted to City of York Council is for 323 caravan pitches and a range of facilities on the North Selby Mine site at New Road, Deighton.

This is as approved previously, but with a call to remove a limit of 28 nights occupation in any one calendar year.

The application seeks approval for 231 static caravan pitches on a 6.24ha site, plus 92 touring caravan pitches on a 1.49ha site.

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Planning documents also said: “It is also proposed to retain and refurbish all existing buildings on site to be used as amenity buildings for use by occupants of the site.

“The uses include entertainment (bar and games facilities), staff buildings, fooderies, health & beauty and spa facilities, restaurants and snack bars. The designs utilise the existing structures on site and have been kept within the refines of them.

“A new reception building and welfare facilities building (toilets, shower and launderette facilities) are also proposed.”

When plans were first submitted in 2019, the scheme promised a boost to the local area of £7m to £9m, creating between 400 and 500 direct, indirect and induced jobs.

A planning statement submitted to City of York Council said: "The proposal would make a positive regenerative contribution to the area, taking into consideration its current state as previously developed land and provide an opportunity to remediate despoiled, degraded and derelict land.

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"The social benefits created by the proposal includes the provision of new jobs, and the improved infrastructure on the site would aid the regeneration efforts of the wider area leading to an improvement of the surrounding area’s social fabric."

Similarly council officers agreed though land is within the greenbelt, re-use of previously developed land, tourism and investment in the local economy and biodiversity benefits outweighed any harm.

However, as City of York council seeks further comments on the detailed plans, Mrs Marian Allen of Escrick wants the council to block the proposal and demand new plans be submitted.

She said: “The variations are fundamentally different from the original application covering length of residency, size of amenities which have grown in number, size and height.

“The provision for staff accommodation means permanent accommodation and the increased facilities would not only result in increased noise disturbance but also increased traffic as people who aren’t on site will travel to use the enlarged facilities.”

North Selby Mine was part of the wider Selby coalfield. It operated as a deep coal mine until 1999 and the land was abandoned in 2000 after the mine shaft machinery was removed and the shafts were capped.