No 35 - NORTH YORKSHIRE COUNCIL ANNOUNCES BURNISTON FRACKING APPLICATION DECISION DATE
Further to the news that the Government have thrown the controversial fracking application back into the lap of the local authority (see newsletter 34), North Yorkshire Council have now set a date for the strategic planning committee to make a decision.
This was the government’s last opportunity to scrutinise Europa’s application. The decision will now be decided by North Yorkshire Council on 24th April 2026 1:00pm (gather at MIDDAY) at Scarborough Town Hall. North Yorkshire Council has already recommended granting the project approval.
Drill or Drop has written about the new planning meeting and complaints made against NYC planning process. And here is a snip from the BBC .
In November 2025, North Yorkshire Council wrote a letter to Mr Shanks (the energy minister) asking for guidance on how the proposed government ban on fracking would impact this planning application. Mr Shanks finally answered on 2nd March 2026 saying he could not comment on the Burniston application and he is currently reviewing the position with regard to low volume hydraulic fracturing. This is a totally unhelpful response!
There have been several requests to North Yorkshire Council to refer themselves for scrutiny regarding their planning application process. See this article from Drill or Drop too. However, despite these calls and at least 2 complaints about the planning process itself, NYC seem hellbent on forging ahead with making the decision.
PLEASE SUPPORT US BY COMING TO SCARBOROUGH TOWN HALL ON 24th APRIL 2026 at MIDDAY WITH PLACARDS, BANNERS, FRIENDS AND FAMILY AND LET OUR REPRESENTATIVES KNOW HOW WE FEEL!
OUR CLIFFS ARE ALREADY SLIDING INTO THE SEA!
Unbelievably a 3D seismic study has not yet been carried out. This is required and necessary to ensure (among other things) there are no major underground faults (e.g. the major Peak Fault), and to measure how stable the ground will be under the pressure of drilling and fracking. The strategic planning committee are being asked to decide on the application without this vital information. In the meantime, there have been several major cliff falls and land slips in the area this year alone. One cliff fall extremely near the proposed drilling site. How can the fracking site be allowed to cause damage to our environment and wildlife? What will the affect of drilling have on our beautiful heritage coastline? YOU CAN STILL OBJECT!
Ironically, NYC is set to be awarded a 100,000 grant to address coastal erosion on the North Yorkshire coast using ‘environmentally sustainable, nature-based solutions’ funded by the Yorkshire Regional Flood and Coastal Committee Local Levy. Read about it here on This is the Coast website. If the Europa application is granted then this might be money down the drain (or thrown into the sea!).
TO OBJECT about anything including the effect on coastal erosion: email to: planning.control@northyorks.gov.uk quoting ref NY/2025/0030/ENV and include your name and address. You can see the application here.
Dramatic huge Burniston cliff fall started in Feb and continuing at an alarming rate. Courtesy of Jamie Robinson. Burniston can be seen in the background. THE CLEVELAND WAY (the new KING CHARLES III PATH) has fallen into the sea.
Apart from the huge cliff fall pictured above, last month also saw a land slip at North Bay Scarborough - shutting the public footpaths - and a massive crack in the pavement on Burniston Road between Burniston and the Sea Life Centre at North Bay.
WHO ARE FFCC - Frack Free Costal Communities?
We are a local group, who have been campaigning regionally and nationally, from the villages on the North Yorkshire Heritage coast including Burniston, Cloughton, Scalby, Staintondale and Ravenscar. We want to protect our beautiful heritage 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 the use of fossil fuels are destroying our planet and fracking should be banned in all forms.
We 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.
WHAT IS FRACKING - AND WHY IS ALL ON SHORE FRACKING NOT BANNED NOW?
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, which was 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 in Lancashire causing earthquakes which damaged properties and resulted in the moratorium! Opponents have described this as a loophole in the law and called for a wider ban to include lower volume fracking. This planning application by Europa, if approved, will set a precedent for the many applications waiting in the wings. 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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