Yorkshire colliery’s regeneration plans get go-ahead

Plans to transform a former Yorkshire colliery into a new business park have been given the green light.

According to the plans for Kellingley Colliery, which was a working deep coal mine until it closed in 2015, the 20 ha site close to the M62 will be transformed by the Harworth Group, which acquired the site last year, into a mixed-use scheme that could provide up to 1.5m sq ft of manufacturing and distribution space and accommodate close to 3,000 jobs, which in turn would increase the local population.

Greater demand for homes, schools, leisure and retail facilities, among other essentials, is expected to provide a £200m boost for the local economy.

Reflecting on Selby District Council’s decision to approve plans for the project, the council’s leader cllr Mark Crane said: “This is a key development site for our district and crucial for the delivery of our Economic Development Strategy. It has the potential to create significant new jobs and bring in a huge amount of new investment.

“It benefits from the things that make our district a great place to do business, including fantastic transport connections, affordable business space and being supported by a skilled local workforce; all located right at the heart of Yorkshire.”

Harworth chief executive Owen Michaelson also reflected on the “significant contribution” that the scheme would make to Yorkshire’s economy.

“We’re fully committed to creating a first-class commercial centre that is likely to provide at least several hundred jobs in accordance with local planning policy, replacing the jobs lost when the Colliery closed its doors in 2015,” he said.