'We are not having fracking in Burniston' - Scarborough and Whitby MP hits back at appeal
The MP for Scarborough and Whitby has vowed to continue fighting plans for a controversial gas drilling project near the North York Moors National Park after the developer launched an appeal against the council’s refusal of the scheme.
Alison Hume said she remained frustrated by the situation and was continuing to press ministers to ensure upcoming legislation closes what opponents describe as a loophole allowing lower-volume extraction techniques to continue.
The comments come after Europa Oil & Gas formally appealed against North Yorkshire Council’s decision to reject plans for a temporary gas exploration wellsite near Burniston, near Scarborough.
The application was refused by councillors in April following concerns about landscape impacts, effects on tourism, disturbance to nearby residents and conflicts with the council’s climate objectives.
Speaking after the appeal was lodged, Ms Hume told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “It’s enormously frustrating.”
She added: “I’ve been pressing the Government to close the loophole for fracking and I will continue to press them.
"And if I need to lay an amendment, I will.”
Asked about the appeal, she said: “We are not having fracking in Burniston. It is not happening.”
In announcing the appeal, the company argued the decision conflicted with advice provided by the council’s own planning officers.
Europa said: “The refusal of the planning permission by the [the council] went against the recommendation made by NYC’s own planning officers who, after rigorously analysing the planning application and the 13 independent experts whose separate reports all supported the application, advised the local planning authority to approve the application.”
The company’s proposed “proppant squeeze” technique has been described by campaigners as a form of small-scale fracking, although Europa has argued there is no loophole in the current moratorium and that the process is permitted under existing legislation.
The application has been controversial and attracted around 1,600 objections from residents, campaigners and environmental groups.
The Government has pledged to “ban fracking for good” through forthcoming legislation, but uncertainty remains over whether that would include lower-volume extraction methods such as proppant squeeze.
Campaigners have repeatedly called on ministers to make clear that all forms of hydraulic fracturing will be prohibited.
Europa Oil & Gas has previously argued its proposal would create jobs, support the local economy and help supply domestically produced gas.