Lower-volume fracking in the North Yorkshire village of Burniston is the wrong project, at the wrong time, in the wrong location, local representatives said today in response to news that a drilling company is to appeal against the rejection of its plans.

A formal announcement on the villlage notice board this morning confirmed that Europa Oil & Gas had lodged an appeal with the Planning Inspectorate, nearly six months after North Yorkshire Council refused the company’s planning application.

The chair of Burniston Parish Council, Cllr Richard Parsons, told DrillOrDrop:

“Today we have found out that Europa Oil and Gas Ltd [EOG] will appeal the planning decision that went against their application, when heard by the North Yorkshire Council strategic planning committee nearly six months ago.

“We have not as yet received any formal notice.

“Although this comes as no surprise, we are somewhat concerned that EOG have not listened in any way to the serious concerns that over 1600 people expressed during the planning process.

“The planning committee listened, understood and delivered their decision in the most decisive manner.

“At Burniston Parish Council and in our community,  we are confident that having exposed the many flaws, inconsistencies and failure to gather  information, that any responsible applicant would include in such an application, for a planning meeting, the Planning Inspector will return the same refusal.

“At this Council we do listen to, understand and agree with the views of our community and the wider community. They reject the application in its entirety for all the right reasons.

“If anyone can find a suitable place for fracking and the underground dumping of chemicals, particularly so close to where people live, I can say with great certainty, it is not here.

“I expect the planning inspector, even if the request to hear this appeal is granted, to support the decision of the planning committee.

“Burniston Parish Council will continue to represent the views of this community and ensure those views are clearly heard in this process. We expect a similar response from North Yorkshire Council.

“The application for a fracking process that has been shown to be far from safe, is the wrong project, at the wrong time, in the wrong location.”

Chris Garforth, chair of the steering group of the local campaign group, Frack Free Coastal Communities, said:

“This comes as no surprise. Within minutes of the council’s decision, Europa’s chief executive Will Holland boasted he was confident it would be overturned at appeal. That confidence doesn’t change the facts.

“North Yorkshire’s planning committee looked at the evidence and heard from around 1,600 objectors before voting against the application. They gave five robust reasons why the proposals were contrary to planning policy and regulations.

“The volumes of fracking fluid Europa proposes for the site remain greater than those that caused a 2.9 magnitude earthquake at Preston New Road in 2019. Our cliffs remain unstable. And we remain in a climate emergency in which opening new fossil fuel sites makes no sense, however they’re dressed up.

“We will study Europa’s grounds of appeal carefully and respond more fully in the coming days. Meanwhile, our message to Europa, and to the Planning Inspectorate, is the same as it was on 24 April: this community said no for good reason, and nothing in an appeal can change that.”

Friends of the Earth campaigner, Tony Bosworth, said:

“This appeal will only create more concern and uncertainty for local residents who are understandably worried about the impact of fracking on their community and environment.

“Now we need the government to act. Proppant squeeze is simply fracking by another name. Ministers must deliver on their promise to ban fracking for good by ensuring it includes all forms of this technique – including proppant squeeze. Failure to do so will leave many more communities at risk.”