Mixed reaction as Scarborough gas rig plan delayed

​“Disappointing”, “very sensible”, and “significant” are a few of the responses that have met the Government’s intervention into a planning application for a proppant squeeze operation in Burniston, near Scarborough.

​A council planning committee was due to make a decision on the plans, which were recommended for approval, at a meeting on Friday (January 30).

​North Yorkshire Council said it was not in a position to set a new date for the committee until it receives confirmation from the Planning Inspectorate “on whether the application is to be called in” by the Secretary of State.

​Professor Chris Garforth of Frack Free Coastal Communities said: “This postponement reflects the seriousness of the issues at stake.

​“The conflict between national fracking policy and what Europa is proposing through this legislative loophole needed to be addressed.

“More than 1,600 local objections, opposition from our MP, parish councils, and Scarborough Town Council—all made clear this application raised questions beyond the scope of a local planning committee.

​“The government now has the opportunity to close the loophole that allows companies to rebrand fracking as something benign and subject local communities to the same risks the moratorium was designed to prevent.”

​However, the company behind the proposal, Europa Oil & Gas, has said it is “disappointed” in the decision to postpone the meeting.

​It has also maintained that “it is a misconception that there is a loophole” in the fracking moratorium.

​A spokesperson for Europa said: “This will result in a delay to consider the recommendation by the planning officer to approve the application.

​“The planning officers’ recommendation to approve has been submitted following extensive independent assessment to ensure that the local community and environment is not adversely impacted by the proposed drilling actively.

​“The UK continues to consume gas, and whilst this continues, the socially, environmentally and economically responsible source of gas is undoubtedly domestically produced gas.”

​Campaigner and North Yorkshire councillor Steve Mason described the decision to postpone the meeting as “very sensible”.

​He said: “The conflict between national and local policy makes it impossible for councillors to make a sound decision.

​“The definition needs to be clarified to capture all types of fracking and close the loopholes that allow gaming of the planning system.”

​The Member of Parliament for Scarborough and Whitby, Alison Hume, said she was pleased the planning meeting had been postponed.

​“Earlier this week, I made an urgent request to the Secretary of State at the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government to call-in the application,” she said.

​“I had initially pressed for this planning meeting to be delayed because the consultation on proposed changes to the National Planning Policy Framework, which could significantly impact Europa’s application, does not close until March.

“Together with the overwhelming majority of residents in Burniston and indeed Scarborough and Whitby as a whole, I am opposed to this drill going ahead and have made my position on that abundantly clear throughout the whole process.

​“The government is committed to no more drilling, and this should allow the application to be considered under the most up-to-date guidance.”

​However, Europa’s CEO, William Holland, previously said that “taking into account the direction of travel of the new draft National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) there is no justification for delaying a decision on the application.”

​NYC planning officers said in a report that there were “no material planning considerations that warrant [the scheme’s] refusal”, adding “there would be no unacceptable adverse environmental impacts resulting from the proposed development”.

​​Residents in the area, including local farmers, have said they are concerned by the potential environmental impacts of the proposal, including on underground waterways.

​Kim Hunter of Frack Free Scarborough said: “The proposed scheme contradicts national climate and energy policy, is of major national significance, and as we have long argued, the application process has been handled as though it were a mere formality.

​“So, we regard this development as a win, but the campaign is by no means over, and we should use this pause to build momentum.

​“Whichever department makes the decision, the voices of those most affected by climate change and local pollution must be heard.”

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