No 46 - As reported, NYC has refused planning permission for the drilling and fracking project in Burniston. However, the Environment Agency have gone ahead with the permits that Europa Oil and Gas would also require to start the project. They intend to grant the permits. After widespread criticism and condemnation on the accuracy, lack of evidence, confusing language and inconsistencies of the draft permit and draft decision documents, the EA has widely altered and amended them. They gave the public an extension to 21st October 2026 (TODAY) to respond to the changed documents. Ruth Hayhurst wrote this article in Drill or Drop explaining some of the criticism.
UNFAIR CONSULTATION - ASK FOR AN EXTENSION
The environment agency extended the consultation period for the draft decision document and permit because they have made lots of changes (54 in one document alone) to the documents following widespread criticism. The extension runs out TODAY!
Unfortunately, the first residents were only made aware of the extension (by letter) on Monday 12th October, and some residents not until 14th October – leaving them with only a week to go through 54 changes and send a response.
However many people feel they cannot in all fairness read the documents (a third of pages have been changed) in the time given. Frack Free Coastal Communities, Burniston Parish Council, and many campaigners have asked for an extension or a completely new consultation period.
HOW TO ASK FOR AN EXTENSION:
Please write an email to ask for a longer extension (eg 4 weeks more) or a new consultation.
TO: yorkshireoilandgas@environment-agency.gov.uk and pscpublicresponse@environment-agency.gov.uk
CC: alison.hume.mp@parliament.uk
SUBJECT: YO13 0DB, EUROPA OIL & GAS LIMITED, EPR/YP3623LC/A001
Reason: IN YOUR OWN WORDS - BUT BASICALLY ....Due to the large number of changes to the document and the lateness of informing the public we all need more time to respond and the current extension is unfair and unreasonable. The EA has made 54 amendments to the original Burniston permit draft decision document and as a result of this has extended the consultation to 21st October. However, residents were not informed of the extension until between 12-14 Oct giving some only a week to respond.
Ruth Hayhurst has written an excellent article to summarise the extent and nature of the changes and reasons for the extension requests.
To read all the responses please click here:
To see the draft documents and to respond please click here:
PETITION TO BAN ALL FRACKING
On Friday 10th October 2025, ITV reported that Ed Miliband announced Labour would BAN ALL FRACKING at the Labour Conference. However, the government have now refused to ban what they call low volume fracking. Read the story in Drill or Drop - government to allow low volume fracking. This type of fracking is currently being proposed in Burniston in North Yorkshire, West Newton-A in East Yorkshire and Wressle in North Lincolnshire. In fact FRACKING of any kind is still not banned by law. Sign this petition to ask the government to ban all fracking.
UPDATE FROM ALISON HUME (MP) WITH A PLEA TO WRITE TO MICHAEL SHANKS.
PLEASE SEE LETTER FROM ALISON BELOW.
In particular please write to Michal Shanks (as encouraged by Alison) to let him know the strength of feeling against all fracking including low volume fracking,
I hope you are well. I am writing to you with an update on my campaign to ban small-scale fracking.
On Tuesday 15th September, I spoke in a general debate about the potential merits of a total ban on fracking. You can read my contribution, here.
In the debate, I raised Europa Oil and Gas’s application to frack for gas in Burniston, and called for the Minister to act to ban all forms of fracking, including smaller-scale operations such as proppant squeeze. I made clear that the loophole in the legislation which allows oil and gas companies to frack under a different name must be closed.
Small-scale fracking carries the same risks as larger operations, including earthquakes, groundwater contamination, methane leaks, air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Local people understand these risks, which is why in our community Europa’s plans are widely opposed.
I welcomed the Government’s commitment to legislate for a permanent ban on fracking, which will be introduced via the forthcoming Energy Independence Bill. However, this ban should cover all forms of fracking, not just those using higher fluid volumes.
I will continue to lobby the Government to introduce a total ban on fracking. If I am unsuccessful, I will lay an amendment to the Energy Independence Bill to this effect.
It is important that the Government hears the depth of local feeling. Please can I encourage you to write to Minister for Energy, Michael Shanks (information on how to contact the Department is available, here).
I will continue to keep you updated with my work on this important issue.
Yours sincerely,
Alison
PLEASE HELP OUR FELLOW CAMPAIGNERS
WEALD ACTION GROUP: We all owe this group so much. They are behind the 'Finch Ruling' They are fighting a new battle against methane and need your help, See here for details.
WEST NEWTON: help by donating here go fund me page to help West Newton. See newsletter 40 for full details.
FOXHOLES: Facebook Page here. Please object by writing to planning.control@northyorks.gov.uk reference REF:NY/2025/0113/FUL. You could also write to the MP Kevin Hollinrake and the NYC ward councillor Email: cllr.janet.sanderson@northyorks.gov.uk regarding lack of support and to show your feelings. See newsletter 40 for full details.
EBBERSTON: See details here in a Drill or Drop article. The oil and gas company held an open meeting Thursday 9 July 2026.
UPCOMING EVENTS FOR YOUR DIARY
Just to say that all our events have been very well supported and it is a delight to see people enjoying themselves while we raise money for our coffers. Please keep coming and thank you to all the helpers and the guests.
21st Nov - Christmas Quiz at Burniston and Cloughton Village Hall.
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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