Anti-fracking campaigners are gathering outside a crucial meeting in Scarborough to voice their opposition to gas plans in the North Yorkshire village of Burniston.

Councillors are due to decide this afternoon whether to grant planning permission to Europa Oil & Gas for its proposal for drilling and lower-volume fracking at the site near the North York Moors National Park.

Europa Oil & Gas has denied that its operations are fracking, describing it as “proppant squeeze”. But it has accepted that it intends to inject fluid at pressures high enough to fracture rocks surrounding the wellbore.

The intended volume, of four stages, each using 500m3, are higher than those used by Cuadrilla at Preston New Road in 2019, which caused earthquakes felt across the Fylde region of Lancashire.

Clare Topham, vice chair of Burniston Parish Council and a member of the local campaign group, Frack Free Coastal Communities, said:

“We, the people of Burniston and Scarborough, are united in our opposition to this threat. We must denounce this for what it is: a money grab in the area we live, it will not benefit us at all. This cannot happen. No matter what the result, this is not going to be the end of the matter. There is a possible judicial review and also the ombudsman case.”

She said campaigners had been “fighting a fracking application with one arm, and pushing our elected body to do their job with the other”.

“Burniston Parish Council voted unanimously against this absurd proposal for fracking. Cloughton Parish Council, Newby and Scalby Town Council, and Scarborough Town Council have all objected very strongly. There are nearly 1700 objections on the planning portal. Our MP Alison Hume is opposed.  Over 10,000 people signed the parliamentary petition. We are all overwhelmingly united in our opposition.

“The meeting being held today should not be happening. We have not been presented with sufficient evidence such as a 3D seismic study. We believe North Yorkshire Council have bypassed strict legislation relating to this application. This application is INCOMPLETE, INACCURATE, and MISLEADING.

“I pity the members of the Strategic Planning Committee. They are reliant on a flawed officers’ report. Only three of them have visited the site to see it is not how the applicant has described it. A description accepted without question in the officer’s report.”

Simon Bowens, of Friends of the Earth, urged members of North Yorkshire’s strategic planning committee to “stand with residents, not developers. Stand with science, not spin, Stand on the right side of history”

He said:

“Today, councillors have a clear choice. They can side with a fossil fuel company that has tried to downplay the risks of its proposal. Or they can listen to the evidence, the science, and the community — and reject this planning application.

“Let’s be absolutely clear about what is being proposed.

“Over the last 18 months, Europa have tried to hoodwink the community into believing that this isn’t really fracking, it’s a proppant squeeze, its been used for decades, its just low volume and therefore nothing to worry about.

“Let’s be clear – injecting fluids underground to force fossil fuels to flow carries real, known risks — no matter what label is used.”

John Atkinson, of Frack Free Scarborough, told campaigners:

“I’m sick to death of hearing the term ‘proppant squeeze’ and other nonsense jargon that allow the government and oil companies to continue fracking.

“Enough of the film flam, the deceit, the trickery and lies the oil and gas industry use to try and persuade us that fracking is harmless.  I would imagine most people here today know exactly what these snake oil salesmen are all about. But if you don’t know – I can tell you in four words:   It’s all about profit.”

Julie Forgan, environmental rep for Unison in York said:

“those is power now think that fracking might not be fracking and might not be dangerous – it’s all lies to protect the profits of the rich at the expense of the planet and our lives on it. I hope you win today. But if you don’t I know you will keep campaigning and I hope we can work in unity with all those that are fighting similar fights to protect the world around them.”

The decision meeting begins at 1pm. Details here and link to Youtube webcast

All photos in this article by DrillOrDrop