A BALANCE has to be struck between conserving unique heritage features and the public’s ability to appreciate them, the custodians of a national park have concluded.

Visitors to a “remarkably dangerous” ironstone mine in the North York Moors must be safeguarded, despite the impact the measures will have on a listed building featuring the only Victorian ironstone mine chimney standing in the UK, the North York Moors National Park Authority’s planning committee has agreed.

Members gave consent for the changes to the ill-fated Warren Moor Mine, which was built in Kildale, in the Cleveland Hills, during the 1870s to feed the iron boom in Teesside and County Durham.

Officers told members while part of the project was to negotiate public access across private land to enable visitors to view the mine at close quarters for the first time, safety measures needed to be implemented “to stop people falling into the shafts” and exploring inside the derelict mineworks.

Officers said the main issue for members to consider were whether the proposed works would “respect the character, architectural interest and cultural heritage of the site and its wider landscape setting.

They said there was sufficient public interest in increasing people’s understanding and appreciation of the structures to warrant the harm caused to the heritage site.

The meeting heard a limited amount of action, as part of the Lottery-funded multi-million pound This Exploited Land of Iron project, to conserve the mine was also needed due to crumbling brickwork and to prevent further weathering.

Member Alison Fisher, a former English Heritage conservation specialist, said discussions had been ongoing for some time with the “very supportive landowner” to open access to the mine.She said the proposed works were vital to prevent accidents. Ms Fisher said: “The site is in remarkably good condition, but it is remarkably dangerous as well. It is going to be even closer to a public footpath than at present.”