Kirby Misperton Protection Camp. Photo: Ian Crane
Opponents of fracking have established a camp near Third Energy’s fracking site at Kirby Misperton in North Yorkshire.
The action follows the rejection by the High Court yesterday of a legal challenge to the granting of planning permission for fracking in the village by North Yorkshire County Council. DrillOrDrop report
Ian Crane, one of the camp’s residents, told BBC Radio York opponents were using land owned by Flamingo Land, the theme park which had previously objected to Third Energy’s plans.
Mr Crane, the presenter of the online show Fracking Nightmare and a former oil executive, said the camp did not have the “express permission” of Flamingo Land. He said:
“We are here to support the local community and raise awareness of what this industry will lead to if it is able to get a foothold.”
Photo: Ian Crane
He said there were about a dozen people at the camp this morning and the numbers were expected to increase “fairly significantly” over the next few days. So far, residents have come from places as far apart as Surrey, Cheshire and Lincolnshire.
In a Facebook post, Mr Crane said:
“The Kirby Misperton Protection Camp looks forward to working with the local Community in their quest to protect North Yorkshire from the abomination of Unconventional Gas exploitation.”
Steven Peers interviewed by BBC Radio. Photo: Ian Crane
Another resident, Steven Peers, from Cheshire, was asked by BBC News how long he would stay:
“As long as there’s a threat of fracking to Kirby Misperton, this tiny little village, we’ll be here. We envisage a few months until the licence expires and then we’ll pack up and go.”
This afternoon, Sue Gough, a member of the local campaign group, Frack Free Kirby Misperton, said:
“The camp is up and running but there is still lots to do.
“One of the most important things at the moment is to have as many local people as possible on site throughout each day and we would urge as many of you to come down and say hello.
“The occasional home cooked meal is always gratefully received as well. These wonderful protectors are here to stop fracking taking place and have lots of advice about how we can do it.
“So let’s show Third Energy that they have not won, we said no and we mean it.”
Third Energy’s chief executive, Rasik Valand, said after yesterday judgement that the company had an obligation to prove that it could carry out fracking in a safe, discreet and environmentally sensitive way.
“We are confident that we will prove to the local community that their elected representatives were right to grant this permission.”
It’s not known when Third Energy will start work at Kirby Misperton. The company is continuing to negotiate with North Yorkshire County Council over conditions of the planning permission that must be met before fracking can begin.
A council spokesperson said agreements associated with seven conditions have been approved. Agreements on another two were currently being consulted on and another seven conditions remained outstanding. Decisions are made by council officers under delegated powers.
- Also last night, anti-fracking campaigners held a demonstration outside the offices of Ryedale District Council in Malton, where the planning committee was meeting to discuss a new minerals plan for the area.
Photo: Frack Free Ryedale
Updated 22/12/16 with latest information on conditions
Categories: Opposition
DRILL OR DROP? 
Ian Crane, former Oil Executive? Is he still bankrupt after his last joke protest?
“So far, residents have come from places as far apart as Surrey, Cheshire and Lincolnshire.”
Any locals there?
What a farce.
Well, I can assure you that all the locals that I know are strongly against fracking here. We have had presented to us the evidence by health professionals that is damning and frankly there was nothing of relevance that the CEO of the fracking company could say to defend against it.
By definition, everyone is local, its the fracking industry invasion which is not local in this country and not welcome. The farce is the industry which intrudes and imposes their unwelcome poisonous presence onto every community in the country.
I note many times when reading comments written by those that support the industry that if locals object, they are accused of being NIMBYs, if people object from outside the area – they are criticised for not being locals. Yet fracking is pushed by supporters as being of national importance, you cannot have it all ways.
It seems those that support fracking can do so irrespective of where they live but those that oppose fracking have to meet some ludricous and fictitional criteria.
Many areas of the UK, including Lincolnshire, Cheshire and Yorkshire are faced with fracking and the extraction of new fossil fuels and their impact on climate change is a global threat. The fact the opposition to fracking and climate change is local, national and international is a fact and people are allowed to support or oppose fracking – irrespective of where they live.
A very good point KT
Excellent retort to [edited by moderator] [Paul] Tresto . So glad that people like you can speak for the people . Thank you
Paul, I have heard rumors that the group plans to be there for the long haul. As such, they have applied for permits to have a gas pipeline laid directly to the camp so that they have fuel to keep them warm through the winter.
Do you hear these voices in your head perhaps?
Hahaha. That was funny Sherwulfe.
yeah, plenty of locals [edited by moderator] why not come n see [edited by moderator]
The last ‘Joke Protest’ resulted in Rathlin Energy abandoning their Crawberry Hill wellsite in East Yorkshire. Consequently, I will be absolutely delighted if this ‘Joke Protest’ yields the same result with Third Energy! 🙂
Do you believe Rathlin gave up because of your protest camp? I don’t think so, it may have been something to do with the oil price and global economy. But believe what you want. Third Energy will not stop due to your protest camp.
“At Crawberry Hill the decision has been taken on technical and commercial grounds, not to carry out further exploratory work at the existing site,” the firm said.
“The decision has been taken in the light of all the information derived from each of the exploration wells and against the background of continuing depression in world energy prices, which currently show little sign of recovery.
“After thorough analysis, Rathlin has concluded the associated costs with testing the Crawberry Hill well cannot be justified, relative to the probability of commercial success.
“We continue to believe in the overall prospectivity of the geology in the Crawberry Hill area but the current well site is not a preferred location for further drilling or completion investment and, as a result, the well will be abandoned and the site restored.”
Is this you:
https://drillordrop.com/2016/05/04/rathlin-energy-secures-bankruptcy-order-against-anti-fracking-campaigner/
And what was your former “Oil Executive” position? Interested to know……
You may believe whatever you wish … but it is truly remarkable that David Montagu-Smith and Rathlin Energy put so much time, effort and money into returning to Crawberry Hill … only to pull the plug after 7mths of every single vehicle being blockaded of the Wellsite for hours on end by the local retiree Community! 🙂
Ian, are you the same person who sells DVD’s espousing the view that 9/11, 7/7 and the Paris masacre was a put up jobs perpetrated by some international conspiracy? I’m sure people can Google your name and establish your credibility for themselves.
Don’t worry Mark, its all fake news, it was all a bad dream, you can go back to sleep now.
Soon Santa will bring you everything you asked for.
Merry Christmas.
Good to meet you Ian, I have followed your work closely, give my best regards and support to the local community at the site. May 2017 be a special year for us all.
Thanks Phil … and will do. Everyone is in good spirits here and the response from the local community has been absolutely awesome. Third Energy have no idea what they have unleashed! 🙂
Sounds like they have unleashed a small group of extremists who is bent on misinforming the public with signs such as “fracking causes cancer, Google it” Ian, you would do more good for the environment by pedaling a stationary bike that feeds energy into the grid. What you are doing now is just costing society, not helping it.
Did your Google it?
Which society is that peeny? Do you have one over there? A small group of extremists voted for Trump didn’t they? Or was it a small group of extremists that voted for Clinton? Its difficult to tell, it didn’t seem to matter anyway, maybe the Russians could tell you, they seem to have their finger on the extremist democratic pulse over there? Or is it on the extremist republican pulse over there? i am not sure Hilary has one? its so difficult to tell the difference between one extremist and another is it? No wonder you are all confused?
[Edited by moderator]… came to Balcombe where NO FRACKING was even taking place! And ruined a lovely village!
So much for “local support for the anti-fracking cause” Apparently the land owner has asked Ian Crane and John Hobson to leave the premises! But the anti-frack mafia have bullied and the land owner with references to obscure laws that allow them to commandeer his personal property for their “operations.”
That’s how democracy works, right Ian?
I am a local resident and I will be popping by to show my support and say thank you to these brave people for their support. Thank you.
The brave hooligans who have trespassed on the land uninvited and have refused to leave when asked? LOL
Are you talking about 3rd energy? Sounds about right. There is nothing like dropping a brick in the kiddies swimming pool and blaming everyone else for the waves is it?
Reblogged this on keepeastlancashirefrackfreekelff.
Ian R Crane: 9/11 Conspiracy. Google it. Ian R Crane: Alien Invasion 2012 Olympics. Google it. Ian R Crane: Fracking caused cancer. Google that too.
Nick Grealy chosen to speak for the industry.
Nick Grealy at his best.
No wonder he did not get a licence.
Great choice by the industry. He really sells it well.
The world is full of extremists, Nick. You’re always going to get a few wingnuts.
Wingnut; It that your new name now?
Seems Mr Crane should be on same planet as David Icke!
We are all on the same planet Malcolm, you are quite free to depart with our blessing if you find it too constricting for you? Just wait for a bright light and stick out your thumb, but be careful, it might be swamp gas, don’t light a match.
Mr Crane seems to have had a couple of (kind of) David Ike conspiracy moments, but nowhere near as far fetched, and his ‘Voices from the Gas Fields’ documentary is pretty good – and relevant. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3K0kV7UcME
Thank you to all who have helped establish this camp. Contaminated air and water knows no borders so resistance is necessary in every single place where the fracking industry has set its sights set on.
[Comment removed by moderator]
This is not one of the conspiracy theory. It snowed in Sahara. So where is the warming.
http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2016-12-22/snowstorm-hits-sahara-for-first-time-in-nearly-40-years/8141694
The issue with climate change is you get freak weather patterns that can be floods, droughts etc. There is a trend of change – it is not about one isolated incident. The fossil fuel industry is paying money to deceive people. I read an article in the Guardian recently about Centrica helping to fund a climate change denying organisation and as probably most people know Exxon Mobil is being sued for witholding climate change science for decades. Burning fossil fuels is causing climate change and the sooner we transition away from them the better.
Yawn. Yes, we know KT. It’s all one giant conspiracy theory.
…it’s those voices again…..
Perhaps anti frackers must also hear voice inside their head. “Fracking causes cancer. Frackin is evil. No Frackingggg way. No Frackin waaayyyy.”
Nope TW, read it on peer reviewed research.
What is evil?
Fair point TW… Q: where’s the warming? Answer – it is elsewhere – and lots of it! The arctic is freakishly warm this winter, so much so that the standard polar vortex has broken down, that’s a pattern normally bounded by the (roughly circular) arctic ‘jetstream’. Bits of the polar vortex have spun off to make a couple of areas unusually cold (for a while) including the NW coast of America and parts of Siberia. We’re seeing more odd weather patterns in odd places and and exaggerated drought/flood scenarios. Overall the most recent years continue to break previous records for high temperatures and minimal arctic sea ice: http://e360.yale.edu/feature/unusually_warm_arctic_climate_turmoil_jennifer_francis/3060/
Yes, Philip. the sky is falling. Run and tell the world. ;o)
‘Yes, Philip. the sky is falling. Run and tell the world. ;o)’ a quote from hballpeeny’s personal library of 24 Ladybird Tales to collect.
Even with new spectacles I think reading that would be a challenge for halfpenny! As demonstrated again and again he may get through the first line of a comment (if that) then leap to some cliche’d one liner.
The way global warming effects the planetary climate is like the Wiley Coyote effect,or domino effect or the Edward Lorenz butterfly effect which is actually attributable to a graphical representation of the mathematics and has nothing to do with butterflies other than one graphics interpretation describes two distinct interactive and dynamically changing systems which resemble wings.
What happens with any dynamic system when one or more changes to the the key components occurs, in this case the rapid heating up and CO2 and methane pollution of the climate due to human activity, is that the the system, in this case the global climate system, which is highly complex, becomes increasingly unstable and begins to fluctuate in more and more severe ways until a tipping point is reached. At this tipping point, or with complex systems such as global climate systems, several if not hundreds of widespread tipping points all happening at different rates and effecting each other in the process.
Now there are natural processes that can absorb certain degrees of change, these are termed as heat and carbon ‘sinks’. The atmosphere will absorb some heat and carbon and become more stratified and the atmosphere will expand taking it higher and allowing radiation to penetrate deeper into the atmosphere as it is thinner and lower stratified air systems are more disturbed, The oceans will absorb more heat and CO2 and the currents become less stable and the water which has a natural cleaning action becomes more acidic due to the increased carbon dioxide.
There are also certain natural organic systems which can absorb the effects also, algal blooms in the oceans, rain forests so on. The problems we see now are that climate systems, both locally and globally have reached their maximum capacity to absorb the increased levels of CO2, methane and atmospheric heating. this is now showing itself in wilder and wilder fluctuations in the local and global climate control systems.
We have cut down enormous areas of rain forest, one of natures major heat and carbon sinks, we are heating the atmosphere and also our industrial processes are creating polluted surface hot spots, pollution kills local ecological systems and destroys natural cycles that regulate local conditions, rainfall is sporadic and flooding localised, Human activities have and are eroding the planets natural systems to a point where fluctuations are rapidly increasing. This does not just and only produce global warming, certain areas will experience deep cold and storms for months on end, warmer climes will experience drought and torrential rain, natural crops will find it hard to complete their natural cycle with these rapid and sometimes catastrophic changes. In general everything we have taken for granted and abused for all thes years will fall apart and when a global tipping point is reached, it may not return to any sort of stability for hundreds or perhaps thousands of years.
so we get fluctuating hot and cold, floods, storms and drought, famine and plenty, melting ice caps and local heat waves, rising ocean levels and scarcity of clean drinking water. All these can happen in one locale, but the gradual global change will lead to a tipping point, probably sooner than we think.
On top of all this, if it was not enough, we are now drilling for more gas in rural areas, polluting more drinking water, poisoning more land and food, causing more localised heating, burning more fossil fuels.
So people protest, legal representation was tried and will still be tried, so far with limited effect, and certainly some slow down in the rush to the climate tipping point abyss.
So people camp out and slow the process down, they tell the media, those that will listen, they tell the government and the fracking industry itself. And what do they get for being so globally conscious and warning that local pollution is no different than global pollution and simply moves us quicker towards a catastrophic tipping point?
Look for yourselves in these posts and see that rather than being grateful for being informed of the dangers of what fracking does in this time of imminent tipping point, they/we get nothing but abuse, insult and contempt for getting in the way of short term profit.
If that is not insanity on behalf of the government and fracking industry, i don’t know what is.
Suggest you go ask the Vikings what the weather was in their time, in their part of the world. Perhaps it was due to all the villages they torched? (Talking of which, recent report on raptors and wind turbines from that part of the world makes interesting reading but so obvious you wonder why the research needed to be done.)
Obviously there is some global warming at the moment, a PROPORTION of which is obviously related to human activity. But, there is also the fact there is not enough news to go round and if a forest fire happens on the other side of the world it is instantly on TV or in papers. If a ‘plane crashes there are weeks of speculation about the possible causes on every news bulletin, shown as news but total speculation. And if you are a research scientist you find the most spurious connection to global warming and the funds flood in. If you are a Council and you have failed to keep river courses free of obstruction/silt and you have built hundreds of homes that require foundations to be piled, and the inevitable happens you blame global warming.
The world has been warming, and cooling, in turn for thousands of years (at least.) Now, we have a whole industry around reporting and distorting that it is continuing. Actually, I would be more worried if it had stopped, it would probably mean that all life had ceased. See Obama has just placed his job application to hitch his wagon to the gravy train. However, his legacy will still be Aleppo but another valiant attempt to deceive the public.
Vikings? what? Do you mean those well known nomadic nautical Nordic climate change experts who have astonished the world with their scientific evaluation of the pros and cons of fracking villages and liberating church renewables?
Have we misunderstood their erudition in depriving men women and children of their arms legs heads and entrails? Did they really mean to leave us mathematical treatises in the trails of blood and looted items and livestock?
What an amazing revelation! What astounding research you must have done to come to that ground breaking conclusion!
I have obviously misunderstood posts for mere vindictive invective? When all the time you were simply emulating a secret code of communication derived from your deep understanding of invasion sacking and murder and slavery?
Well, i’ll go to the foot of our stairs!