Proposals to drill for gas and carry out a small-scale frack near the North York Moors National Park would have “significant impacts on the environment”, planners have said.

North Yorkshire Council officers ruled that the scheme at Burniston, near Scarborough, would need a detailed study of the effects, known as an environmental impact assessment (EIA).

The decision, published today, was a response to details revealed last month by the operator, Europa Oil & Gas and its partner, Egdon Resources.

Local people and campaigners have welcomed the decision. A meeting in Burniston this week unanimously called on planners to require an EIA.

North Yorkshire almost saw fracking in 2017 after the then county council granted planning permission to Third Energy to frack at Kirby Misperton in Ryedale. That operation never happened because the government did not grant final consent.

At Burniston, Europa and Egdon have proposed drilling a 1.7km lateral well and injecting fluid and proppant, such as sand, into the borehole to fracture surrounding rocks.

This process, known as a proppant squeeze, is regarded by regulators as small-scale hydraulic fracturing. But it is not covered by the moratorium on fracking in England because the volume of fluid is below the limit set by law.

Residents have described the proppant squeeze as “fracking by loophole”.

Egdon said in a formal screening request that an EIA for the Burniston scheme, which would be in the North Yorkshire and Cleveland Heritage Coast, was unnecessary because it was not likely to have “significant environmental impacts”.

The company argued that the proposal did not meet the criteria for an EIA and operations would take place over “a relatively short time”, estimated at 37 weeks.

But North Yorkshire Council planner, Joan Jackson, said in correspondence with Egdon dated yesterday:

“construction and operation of a drilling rig for the exploration of subsurface hydrocarbons testing well and retention of equipment at land east of The Mill Yard, Burniston Mill, Coastal Road, Burniston, Scarborough, YO13 0DB, WOULD [original emphasis] have significant impacts upon the environment”.

Ms Jackson added:

“This letter therefore confirms that the Council is of the opinion that the proposed development is EIA development and should be accompanied by an Environmental Statement.”

She said the council’s screening opinion had taken into account the EIA regulations, the environmental sensitivity of the location and the scale and nature of the development.

The decision means that any planning application for the Burniston proposal would have to include a detailed report of environmental impacts.

Frack Free Scarborough described the decision on social media as “great news”.

John Atkinson, a campaigner with the group, said:

“We’ll take this as a victory.

“We know they were influenced by the 130+ strong EGM called by Burniston Parish council, and by the representations people made to the council and their own elected representatives.

“But we won’t stop here. If the planners approve the application we will continue to oppose it most robustly.

“There is no room for fossil fuel exploration in this era of climate emergency, never mind for fracking, whatever cute-sounding name they want to give it.”

North Yorkshire councillor, Steve Mason, who is also the campaign lead at Frack Free United, said:

“Requiring an environmental impact assessment is good news for the community. NYC has recognised that the development would have significant impacts on the environment.

“I’d like to think NYC has moved on from fracking, as it’s clear again that residents simply do not want it.

“Climate change is at the heart of the new authority’s plans, and this application will conflict with that priority.

“Our coalition will also be calling for the CO2 emissions from the fossil fuels produced to be included in any assessment, as well as the restrictions included in the minerals plan to be strongly implemented.

“It’s all well and good claiming that it’s simply exploration. Let’s be honest, they will have a good idea of the amount of gas available.

“But this could all be addressed quickly by the new government. The minister has to act now, close the loophole that allows fracking under different guises in our community.

“We have also asked the leader of the council to write to the government to call for clarity once and for all.”

Rich Maw, another North Yorkshire councillor, thanked people who had written to the council and called for changes to the definition of fracking:

“Next we must look to the new government to close this loophole. Fracking is not welcome in Burniston nor anywhere in North Yorkshire.”

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