A tiny North Yorkshire village fighting a David and Goliath battle against gas drilling got advice last night from campaigns across the UK.

Residents in Foxholes, population about 250, are opposing plans from a company run by one of the richest families in the US.

About 60 people attended a public meeting to hear what steps they could take to reject proposals by Egdon Resources, owned by Texas-based Heyco Group and controlled by the Yates family, previously estimated to be worth $2.5 billion.

Egdon wants to explore for gas in a field on the edge of Foxholes. It intends to drill through the chalk aquifer, which supplies drinking water to 900,000 people. A similar proposal was rejected when Yorkshire Water objected to the risk of contamination.

Sarah Hockey, a campaigner for 13 years against oil and gas development in East Yorkshire, said Foxholes has England’s most northernly chalk stream.

“This is one of the rarest habitats on earth.

“Everyone has a part to play.

“It doesn’t matter what you do, as long as you do something. Even if it’s a small thing, it could have a huge impact.”

Planning consultant Katie Atkinson, who has worked on multiple onshore oil and gas proposals across northern England and the midlands, said:

“Object, keep objecting, keep reminding everybody, spread the word.

“Get it out on social media. … Keep going.”

Foxholes’ near neighbours at Burniston, which recently defeated another gas application, advised the community to work together.

Richard Parsons, chair of Burniston Parish Council, said it had been “massively important” that local councils had coordinated their campaign and worked alongside the local opposition group, Frack Free Coastal Communities (FFCC).

He said Foxholes must engage with its MP and the local representative on North Yorkshire Council. At Burniston, the campaign had the support of MP Alison Hume and the local ward councillor, Derek Bastiman.

Neither Kevin Hollinrake MP nor Cllr Janet Sanderson attended last night’s meeting, though they had been speakers at a previous meeting. Four councillors from neighbouring East Yorkshire, including a former council leader, were at last night’s event.

Mr Parsons said:

“I would not let them [Mr Hollinrake and Cllr Sanderson] get away with that. If they’re not prepared to engage with you, who are they representing? Your councillor should be here. Your MP should be here.”

He said if they were not supportive, the public should know about it.

Chris Garforth, of FFCC, said the group had put its arguments about the Burniston plans to the 90 individual members of North Yorkshire Council and 15 members of the strategic planning committee that decided the Burniston application.

But he warned:

“Keeping up the momentum in a campaign, keeping it alive in people’s minds, requires effort. We’ve used newsletters. We have a What’s App group. We’ve tried to use press, radio and TV as much as we can. We use social media. We have a very good website.”

He said the company behind the Burniston plans, Europa Oil & Gas, would appeal against the refusal of planning permission. It was “crucial to maintain momentum and stop interest flagging”, he said.

David Eddy, the coordinator of the Foxholes campaign, Drawing a line in the chalk, called for people with expertise in campaigning, fundraising, media, traffic and  to join the campaign.

He told the meeting there had been more than 500 objections to the plans so far and the village had set a target of 1,000. Foxholes Parish Council had objected on 45 individual grounds.

Other tips

Speakers at the meeting also gave the following advice:

Campaigning

Be seen: Be creative and produce eye-catching banners and posters.

Fundraising: Use fundraising events as a further way of raising awareness.

Take advice: Learn from the experience of other groups that have experience of oil and gas campaigns.

Local expertise: Use local skills in design, marketing, broadcasting, fundraising, technical expertise.

The case

Use new legislation: A new law protects the setting and core of a National Landscape, the new name for Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Foxholes is in the setting of the new Yorkshire Wolds National Landscape. If the proposed lorry route over Staxton Hill were blocked, heavy goods vehicles visiting the site could be diverted through the new National Landscape.

Existing planning policy: National Planning Policy Framework, paragraph 112, which requires mineral planning authorities to be satisfied that key issues can be or will be adequately addressed, by taking advice from relevant regulatory regimes.

Revised planning policy: Use the revised National Planning Policy Framework, which is due to remove a requirement to give “great weight” to the benefits of onshore oil and gas.

Keep an eye on fracking: Just because the Foxholes application does not include proppant squeeze or lower-volume fracking, it could be applied for in future.

Water security: What would happen if the chalk aquifer were contaminated? No one knows the answer to this so how could the application be approved? If there is a risk, it can’t be allowed to happen.

Climate policy: Is the scheme compatible with North Yorkshire’s net zero targets and climate emergency goals?

Planning meeting

Be prepared: In five-minute presentations to the committee, coordinate with other opponents to avoid repetition. Focus on major problems with the application, weaknesses in the officer’s report and areas you can prove, disprove or doubt.

Making your case: Outline evidence in a clear, concise, professional manner that councillors can understand.

Don’t assume: Don’t think you are guaranteed success.

Dividing line: Ensure there is a clear dividing line between the parish council and community groups. This gives another opportunity for an objection presentation at the planning meeting.

Demonstration: Organise a peaceful demonstration outside the planning meeting.

Expert help: If a decision goes to appeal, get expert legal and planning help.