CONTROVERSIAL plans to explore for gas at a North York Moors National Park beauty spot were given the go-ahead yesterday.
The park's planning committee gave approval to Sterling Resources UK to drill on land off Whyett Bank, Westerdale, in the Esk Valley, near Whitby, after being told by chief planning officer Val Dilcock that there would be no night-time construction work carried out and the site would be fully restored to its original state.
The drilling was expected to take 14 weeks, said Stuart Gibson, of Sterling.
He said the work would not conflict with the tourist season - one of the main worries of the objectors.
The committee imposed a total of 17 conditions on the planning permission to safeguard the concerns of residents in the Esk Valley.
English Nature said it did not believe the drilling would have a significant affect on the area and the Environment Agency said it too had no objections.
But the Ramblers' Association said the project would be a blot on the moorland landscape and would result in more heavy vehicles using narrow lanes in the valley.
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