THOUSANDS of tonnes of toxic and flammable material could be stored at an industrial estate.

Bulk storage company the Potter Group has applied to Harrogate Borough Council for an alternative hazardous substance consent for its 42-acre site at Melmerby Industrial Estate, at Melmerby, near Ripon.

The site has been used for the storage of hazardous substances since 1972.

Under the proposals, 500 tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas in aerosol containers, 280 tonnes of very toxic material, including cyanide and hydrofluoric acid, 1,000 tonnes of toxic substances, 500 tonnes of oxidising material, 2,000 tonnes of flammable and 500 tonnes of highly flammable goods, and another 6,000 tonnes classed as dangerous for the environment, could be stored at the site.

However the company is prepared to agree to the revocation of an existing hazardous substance consent, which allows for the storage of 9,999 tonnes of potentially explosive ammonium nitrate fertiliser.

Neither Melmerby nor Hutton Conyers parish councils has objected to the plans, but concerns have been expressed about the amount of dangerous material being stored close to Melmerby.

The borough council, which will discuss the application tomorrow, has commissioned specialist consultants Hickling Gray Associates to advise it.

A spokesperson for the consultants said: "The applicants recognise the potential risks its operations pose to employees, neighbours, the public and the environment, and the necessary measures exist to ensure the impact of such risks are correctly characterised, that safety requirements are identified and that the change in risk is quantified.

"The major accident hazards are those associated with fire, explosion, unplanned toxic substances and the consequential hazards from a combination of such events."

The Potter Group has a safety management system that is regularly reviewed by the Environment Agency and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Both agencies make routine inspections of the site and have been consulted about the latest plans

The safety management system includes bunded warehouses to contain any spillages, water storage ponds with nearly 340,000 gallons of capacity for firefighting, an on-site lagoon to hold any contaminated water from fire fighting and a main drainage seal to prevent any contaminated water from leaving the site.

The HSE has has recommended consent be granted.