The Environment Agency has withdrawn is objection to controversial plans to explore for gas, including lower volume fracking, in the North Yorkshire village of Burniston.

The regulator confirmed to DrillOrDrop that it no longer recommended refusal of the planning application from Europa Oil & Gas Limited.

A written record of the Environment Agency’s new view of the application has not yet been published.

But the organisation told us:

“following a review of additional information provided by the applicant, the Environment Agency has withdrawn its objection to Europa Oil and Gas Limited’s application for a borehole in Burniston”.

The Environment Agency added that any consent should include a planning condition to ensure no harm to the water environment.

It said it had requested that a detailed construction method statement should be submitted by the company and approved in writing by the local planning authority before work could begin.

The application is currently being considered by North Yorkshire Council planners. No date has been announced for a decision by the council’s planning committee.

Previous objection and response

In May 2025, the Environment Agency objected to Europa’s drilling plans because of what it described as an “unacceptable” pollution risk to groundwater. Link to objection letter

 It said the company should revise its well casing construction to ensure that each aquifer (underground water source) was individually cased.

The Environment Agency also said Europa’s choice of flare was not considered to be a Best Available Technique for disposing of waste gas during testing.

Europa responded to the Environment Agency the same day. It said there would be “no significant risk to groundwater, either during drilling or residual risk upon completion and abandonment”. Link to Europa’s defence of its application

The company said there would be a tested cement seal and steel casing throughout the full extent of the well. It said:

“there is no material risk of any transfer of groundwater between aquifers.”

Referring to a diagram of the proposed well, it said:

“the well design is such that multiple sets of cemented casing exist between the inside of the well bore and the surrounding formations.

“In this regard the individual groundwater sources will be hydraulically prevented from mixing in the wellbore and then further sealed behind cement and casing.”

The company also said it had justified the choice of flare in its application for an environmental permit.

Europa proposes to use a shrouded ground flare, as opposed to an enclosed flare, which is usually considered to be the best available technique. The company said the shrouded flare could “accommodate variable and unpredictable flow”.

• More than 1,400 public objections have been made about the Burniston proposal. Local councils at Burniston, Cloughton, Scalby and Newby, Scarborough and York have also opposed the scheme.