Derbyshire green groups and opposition parties unite against lifting fracking ban

All of Derbyshire’s main opposition political parties and a wide range of local and regional environmental, countryside, climate and anti-fracking organisations have come together to condemn the new Prime Minister’s lifting of the ban imposed on fracking by the previous Government in late 2019.

They also condemned any easing of earthquake and planning rules.

Derbyshire Green Party, Derbyshire Labour Party and Derbyshire Lib Dems along with groups: Derby and Derbyshire Climate Coalitions, the Derbyshire Dales Climate Hub, Transition Chesterfield, local anti-fracking groups in NE Derbyshire, the Derbyshire Mineral Plan Community Action Group (DMPCAG) plus Friends of the Earth and CPRE- the countryside charity have all voiced their opposition to the return of fracking.

Andy Tickle, head of campaigns at CPRE Peak District and South Yorkshire, said: “Fracking is not the answer to the current energy crisis or to solving future energy security issues – and it is strongly opposed by local communities in Derbyshire. Liz Truss has said fracking can only happen with local consent, so surely this new plan must be dead in the water already?”

Ross Shipman, a North Derbyshire Derbyshire District councillor for Tupton has been asking residents to speak up against the plans.

He said: “At a very basic level, fracking means taking the fossil fuels out of the ground. And then in some cases we are burning it, it would turn into products that you can't dispose of easily. It is going to contribute towards climate change. Fracking also means potentially contaminating water and the fact that they're gonna have to clear the land to put the drilling rings will impact the wildlife.

“And if they do the exploratory fracking, and find shale rock, then they're going to want to expand the operation well beyond Eckington. The fracking fields in America and Australia, tend to go for miles. Derbyshire's got a beautiful landscape. And the last thing I want, and I'm sure many residents want, is to look out the window and see all these horrible looking drilling rigs that are lit up at night.

“All the traffic movements are going to be coming in and out of small villages, where the roads that now can't even cope with cars driving on them. It would mean extra massive lorries, and tankers that are taking materials to the site, getting rid of the excess water from the fracking operation. It's just gonna be devastating.”

Campaigners fear for the future of sites such as Marsh Lane, near Eckington, which has previously been granted permission for exploratory drilling.Joan Dixon, a County Councillor for Bolsover South added: “Lifting the moratorium on fracking is a short term solution to an energy crisis which could blight our communities for generations to come. Successive governments have had years to develop a sustainable and secure energy supply for the UK, replacing fossil fuels, but they have failed to do so. Last time Ineos came to town, the message from our local communities was clear and united. We do not want fracking. But will the government listen to us or their friends in the fossil fuel lobby?”