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NO 34 - GOVERNMENT REFUSES TO CALL IN THE BURNISTON FRACKING APPLICATION DESPITE VALID GROUNDS

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Today Frack Free Coastal Communities accused the government of betraying local democracy and sabotaging its own policies, as the government decided not to “call-in” a controversial fracking application in the village of Burniston, North Yorkshire.

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The application, from energy giant Europa Gas and Oil, is using a loophole to carry out 'proppant squeeze' which is low volume hydraulic fracking that does not fall under the government’s fracking ban. But experts have stated that there is no significant difference between Europa’s rebranded procedure and illegal conventional fracking, which has been linked to earthquakes and pollution.

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This was the government’s last opportunity to scrutinise Europa’s application. The decision will now return to North Yorkshire Council, which has already recommended granting the project approval.

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Call-in requests were sent in from Frack Free Coastal Communities, Burniston Parish Council, Scarborough and Whitby MP Alison Hume and many other locals concerned by the implications for the region, and the precedent for fracking expansion in the UK.

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There has been no explanation of why the call-in has been refused. Under government guidelines, an application can be called-in when “planning issues of more than local importance are involved”. This is absolutely applicable to the fracking Europa is attempting to impose on Burniston.

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Changes to the NPPF, due to come into force in March 2026, remove the requirement for decisionmakers to give “great weight” to the economic benefits of onshore oil and gas developments when considering planning applications. This policy has previously tilted the planning system in favour of approving fossil fuel projects and made it harder to communities to oppose them successfully. The proposed changes signal the need to transition away from fossil fuels as part of the UK’s response to climate change.

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Friends of the Earth’s senior lawyer, Katie de Kauwe, said:

“For too long fossil fuel projects have received preferential treatment in the planning system. The proposed changes, which help redress this imbalance and recognise the urgent need to transition to cleaner energy production, are welcome.
“The removal of language that gives “great weight” to fossil fuel projects could fundamentally change things, including for the Burniston fracking project which relies heavily on this requirement in its application for planning permission.
“Given the potential significance of these amendments, we believe it’s only right they’re factored into North Yorkshire Council’s thinking and that it delays the decision until the government finalises its national planning policy.”

 

Chris Garforth of Frack Free Coastal Communities said

“We are disappointed that the Secretary of State has decided not to exercise his power to call in Europa’s planning application. Even more disappointed that the decision letter makes no reference at all to the various reasons put forward by many individuals and organisations in support of the request for it to be called in, including the national policy context around the decline in reliance on fossil fuels and the forthcoming legislation that will see at least some fracking banned for good.
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“On the other hand, the forced postponement of North Yorkshire’s Strategic Planning Committee meeting from 30th January has given us – and hopefully committee members – time to reflect on the flaws in the way that North Yorkshire’s planners have handled the application – flaws which are evident in the report that the planners have put forward to the committee in support of their recommendation to approve.
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“We will redouble our efforts to present our case to the committee that the report cannot be relied on as a basis for approval. To that end, we await with interest a response to letters to the CEO of North Yorkshire Council, from FFCC as well as others, suggesting that the handling of this planning application should be subject to an external professional review.
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“Let’s see if North Yorkshire will now decide on a new date for the committee meeting. If so, we will be ready to dust off the placards made for the 30th January and give the committee no room for doubt about the level of feeling about Europa’s plans to drill and frack under our feet for gas that has no place in the future energy economy of the UK.”

 

Drill or Drop has already written about the call in refusal.

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Breaking: Minister declines to decide Burniston gas plan

By Ruth Hayhurst on February 26, 2026

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The local government secretary will not decide controversial plans for gas drilling and lower volume fracking at Burniston near Scarborough.

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There have been several requests to North Yorkshire Council to refer themselves for scrutiny regarding the planning application process. See this article from Drill or Drop too.

 

 

Planners accused of “misleading” report on Burniston fracking gas plan

By Ruth Hayhurst on February 26, 2026

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FAQ

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WHO ARE FFCC - Frack Free Costal Communities?

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We are a local action group from the villages on the North Yorkshire coast including Burniston, Cloughton, Scalby, Staintondale and Ravenscar. We want to protect our beautiful coastline from industrialisation and the irreversible damage to our local environment, and the wider climate that Europa’s ‘Proppant squeeze’ fracking would cause.

 

We believe fossil fuels are destroying our planet and fracking should be banned in all forms.

 

We have been campaigning locally and nationally to raise awareness of the devastation the fracking would cause to the area.

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However we still need to spread the message further. We would love to hear from any environmental organisations with national reach who might be able to help us spread the message nationwide.

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WHAT IS FRACKING - AND WHY IS ALL ON SHORE FRACKING NOT BANNED NOW?

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Fracking is short for Hydraulic Fracturing. Hydraulic Fracturing is a process that uses fluids to fracture rocks. Lower volume fracturing is not prevented by the moratorium on associated hydraulic fracturing, introduced in 2019. The moratorium affects only operations using more than 1,000m3 of fluid per fracturing stage or 10,000m3 in total. This volume is more than was used causing earthquakes in Lancashire that prompted the moratorium!  Opponents have described this as a loophole in the law and called for a wider ban to include lower volume fracking. Many applications for 'low volume fracking' have been submitted.

The government has replied to a parliamentary petition to ban 'small scale fracking' saying “the government recognises concerns from local communities regarding low volume fracturing and the fact that it is currently treated differently, and is therefore currently reviewing the position with regard to low volume hydraulic fracturing.”

In the 2025 Labour Conference Ed Milliband said (as reported by Drill or Drop) “I say let’s ban fracking and send this bunch of frackers packing too”.

 

Thank you for your support

Clare from Frack Free Coastal Communities

 

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