The Environment Agency (EA) has extended a public consultation on changes to the operation of an East Yorkshire oil and gas site after pressure from residents.

An information event will also be held, the EA said, to ensure local people and groups can give their views on the proposals.

The consultation is on the application by Rathlin Energy to vary its environmental permit for the West Newton-A site.

The company wants permission to carry out a form of small-scale fracking, described in the application as reservoir stimulation and also known as a proppant squeeze. Rathlin Energy also plans to extend the wellsite and drill up to six new boreholes.

 The public consultation had been due to close on Friday 3 January. DrillOrDrop article.

But the local community group West Newton Said No! urged the EA to extend the period for comments. It said the application contained complex and technical information that a layperson would find difficult to understand.

The group also said there should be more time because the consultation included the Christmas holiday.

West Newton Said No! also called for public information events so that local people could talk directly to EA staff and consult the supporting documents.

The EA responded by arranging a drop-in event on Thursday 9 January 2025 at Sproatley Village Hall, Sproatley Road, Sproatley, HU114GA from 12 noon-4pm.

The consultation now runs for an additional three weeks until Friday 24 January 2025.

Peter Stevenson, the EA’s area environment manager, said:

“It’s important to us that all interested parties can view the consultation documents and provide a response.

“I’d like to reassure people that we will carry out a detailed and rigorous assessment of Rathlin Energy’s application.

“We welcome comments from the public and interested groups on local environmental factors that people feel are important.”

DrillOrDrop will report on the progress of the permit variation, including comments on it from local people.

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