Opponents of plans to drill and frack for gas in the North Yorkshire village of Burniston are celebrating tonight after the decision to oppose planning permission.

North Yorkshire councillors voted almost unanimously against the application by Europa Oil & Gas. More details

After the meeting in Scarborough, Chris Garforth, of the local campaign group, Frack Free Coastal Communities, said:

“This is a victory for science, for common sense, and for the people who live on this coastline.

“The planning committee has listened to the evidence and to the 1,600 people who objected. Now we need the government to close the loophole in the fracking moratorium, and make sure no community anywhere in the UK faces this fight again.”

A joint statement from FFCC and Frack Free Scarborough, added:

“Today North Yorkshire councillors did the right thing. They listened to over 1,600 objections, they listened to the science, and they said no to a reckless scheme that would have put our coastline, our water and our community at risk.

“This victory belongs to everyone who took action. To those who leafletted, who put money in the campaign pot, who marched to the proposed site, who took to social media, who organised and attended meetings, lobbies, fairs, and social events, and of course to those who did the laborious work of exposing the contradictions in the application and the planning process.

“All those actions, individual and collective, sent one message loud and clear: we will not tolerate companies whose only interest is profit gambling with our geology, our natural resources, our environment and our health. 

“Europa wanted to use Burniston as a testing ground for an experimental technique. Today, councillors refused to let that happen. But this fight isn’t over. Europa may appeal. And in any case, applications like this one will continue to be pushed on communities across England as long as fossil fuel companies are able to exploit the loophole in the moratorium that allows lower volume hydraulic fracturing and other unconventional techniques. 

“We will keep campaigning here in North Yorkshire and across the UK until that loophole is closed and all forms of hydraulic fracturing are banned for good. And we stand in solidarity with communities everywhere fighting to keep fossil fuels in the ground.

“The government has promised to discuss the fracking ban in the autumn. We’ll be putting pressure on ministers to make sure low-volume techniques like proppant squeeze are included. Because the science is clear: they carry the same risks as the fracking banned in 2019.

“More fundamentally, we’re in a climate crisis. Drilling for oil and gas, at any scale, using any technique, makes that crisis worse. Real energy security comes from a swift and just transition to renewables, not from extracting the last drops of fossil fuel from our coastline.

“Today is a victory for our community and for good sense. Tomorrow we continue the fight for a safer, cleaner future for all.”

Frack Free Scarborough campaigner, John Atkinson:

“This is what people power looks like. Hundreds of us stood outside Scarborough Town Hall today, and the planning committee heard us. But this isn’t just about Burniston or Scarborough. It’s a message to every community in Britain fighting fossil fuel companies: you can win.”

Tony Bosworth, a campaigner with Friends of the Earth, said:

“We’re delighted that North Yorkshire Council is minded to reject this damaging and unnecessary fracking proposal. This is a huge victory for local people who stood up to protect their community.

“The people of Burniston should never have been put under this threat in the first place. Ministers have promised to ban fracking for good – but proppant squeeze is just fracking under another name.

 “Friends of the Earth has opposed the Burniston application because fracking blights our countryside, won’t lower UK energy bills, and remains deeply unpopular with communities. If the Government is serious about stopping fracking, ministers must act swiftly to close the loophole that could allow proppant squeeze fracking to go ahead. If they don’t, more communities will be put at risk.”

Steve Mason, a North Yorkshire councillor and anti-fracking campaigner, said:

“Common sense prevailed. North Yorkshire Council has sent fracking packing.”

Cllr Rick Maw, a North Yorkshire and Scarborough town councillor, said:

“This wasn’t a rubber-stamp exercise. It was detailed, serious scrutiny. Tough questions were asked, evidence was tested, and arguments were challenged from all sides, exactly how democratic decision-making should work.

All the while, hundreds of protesters stood outside, making their voices heard, and a packed public gallery sat behind us – a powerful reminder that this decision carries real weight for our communities, our environment, and future generations. And today, that message was heard loud and clear. North Yorkshire Council has said no to fracking.

“This outcome didn’t happen in isolation. It reflects sustained public pressure, grassroots campaigning, and the determination of people who refuse to see their local environment put at risk for short-term gain.”

The local MP, Alison Hume, said on social media:

“I’m relieved that Europa Oil and Gas’ application to frack in Burniston has been rejected.

“The North Yorkshire Council Strategic Planning Committee has made a courageous and correct decision in rejecting the advice of council officers.

“From the moment the Europa made their first move, I have stood shoulder to shoulder with my constituents, who overwhelming opposed this plan, throughout and, as I told them outside Scarborough Town Hall before the planning meeting took place, will continue to do so.

“I have lobbied tirelessly in Westminster to close the loophole in the fracking moratorium Europa were looking to exploit and will keep pressing ahead to ensure that so-called ‘proppant squeezes’ should be included in the fracking ban.

“This afternoon was a triumph for local democracy and local campaigning.”

Europa Oil & Gas has not made a formal public statement to investors. But its chief executive, William Holland, said after the meeting the company would lodge an immediate appeal. He said:

“We will go straight to appeal and we are confident of winning.”

Mr Holland added:

“I’m very disappointed because fairly the planning officers did a very thorough job and they’re the ones that really understand the technicalities very very well and they recommended it for approval.

“Now there’s obviously some concerns here and a lot of those concerns are not really part of this planning decision but they’ve been the cause of people to reject it.”