About the fracking near Scarborough

Fossil fuel company Europa Oil and Gas have submitted an application to North Yorkshire Council to install a 38 metre high drilling rig (taller than Scarborough castle) on a 24-hour floodlit site with a 14 metre flare stack (burning huge methane gas flares) on agricultural land between the Cinder Track and Cleveland Way, just metres from houses in Burniston.

The fracking/drilling underground would happen underneath a large area including Scalby and Cloughton and will be devastating to the environment of our Heritage Coast for reasons outlined in the videos below. If enough gas is found, the company then plan to drill for 20 years - with 4 or 5 more drilling rigs - to create the UK's Largest Onshore Gas Field.

Please watch our videos which explain more about the fracking and the harmful effect it will have on the area:

Damaged countryside

The North Yorkshire heritage coastline is some of the most beautiful in the UK. Tourists come from miles around to walk the Cleveland Way and enjoy the quiet, unspoilt landscape.

This would be devastated by a drilling rig on a 24-hour floodlit site, blasting methane and other toxic gases into the atmosphere - with thousands of HGVs trundling along the narrow country roads. The noise and pollution will disturb residents and wildlife - and there is no telling what damage the drilling could do to the fragile cliffs.

The site where the proposed drilling would take place is right next to the coast, the cliffs, Burniston village and the Cleveland way - ruining the quiet, unspoilt countryside for walkers, tourists and residents.

Huge unsightly drill rig

The rig will be 38 metres high - almost twice the height of Scarborough castle and the same height as electricity pylons - and will be seen for miles around.

We sent a drone up to 38 metres and this is the view. If you can see your home, you'll be able to see the drill rig.

Filthy methane flares blasting into the air

There will be a flare stack burning off the excess gas which sends flares blasting into the air. This is loud, dirty and polluting.

Drilling through the water table and underground underneath a large area

The drilling goes down throught the water supply - so there is risk of contamination of the water table.

The drilling then goes underground horizontally, under roads and houses. There is a risk of earth tremors. The underground drilling will go much further than Burniston and will affect Scalby and the surrounding areas.

24 hour floodlit site

The drill site will be lit up 24/7 - it will be noisy, dirty and industrialised and will cause light pollution and disturb local noctural wildlife like owls and bats.

And as if all that wasn't enough, there's....

Climate change - the planet is at a critical point - the last thing the planet needs is more fossil fuels
Pollution - the rig will cause deafening drilling, dust, light pollution 24/7, and gas flaring
There will be an adverse impact to mental health for resitdents
Road safety and traffic - over 1000 extra HGVs on our roads.
No cheap gas – the gas will be exported and sold on the open market
Tourism - there is bound to be an adverse impact on visitors to the Heritage Coast.
Industrial development - destruction of farmland and ruining the quiet unspoilt countryside
The rig is very close to local homes, spoiling residents' quality of life and potentially affecting house prices
Potential 20 years+ of gas extraction.

BURNISTON RESIDENTS EXPLAIN THE REASONS TO OBJECT
For all the many reasons residents are in strong opposition to the plans please watch our video:

WHAT YOU CAN DO
There are several ways you can help us fight this awful threat to our environment, our health and the climate.

Objecting and signing our petition only take a few minutes. Please visit our What You Can Do page for more details.