Environmental campaigners will be demonstrating outside County Hall, Beverley on Thursday 15 November in advance of the Council’s Planning Committee meeting.   They’re objecting to a variation order application from Rathlin Energy.  The company specialises in drilling for oil and gas and was given permission to drill in 2013 on their site in West Newton near Aldbrough.

In August 2014 it was alleged that the company undertook a mini frack which went wrong, damaging the well. In November 2015, the company applied for and was granted a 3 year extension to drill under condition that no fracking would take place. In that time, no drilling has taken place at the site. The company say they now need another 3 years to explore the site’s viability.

Speaking today Beverley Labour Party’s George McManus said, ‘Rathlin Energy have already had 5 years to carry out their activities. The world has moved on since the original permission was granted. The evidence which shows the direct correlation between CO2 emissions and climate change is now incontrovertible.

Labour believes that if we are to deal with the challenges of climate change and avoid damage to underground water supplies and catastrophic flooding, then hydrocarbon based compounds should be left, locked safely away in underground reservoirs.’

He went on, ‘ It makes no sense for the government to say we that we need to reduce CO2 emissions by driving electric cars and installing solar panels, whilst permitting companies to unlock new CO2 reserves which will make matters worse.

That’s why, when elected to power, Labour will ban fracking, We feel the company should now deliver on the conditions of the initial permission and reinstate the land to arable.’

Campaigners will gather at 1pm on Thursday 15 November

George McManus
Secretary Beverley and Holderness Labour Party
07720847819