Scarborough Town Council Opposes Burniston Drilling Plans

Scarborough Town Council has unanimously voted to oppose plans for a gas drilling rig in Burniston.

At the second full meeting of the Reform-run town council, a vote was unanimously passed opposing Europa Oil & Gas’ planning application to explore for gas using a ‘proppant squeeze’ method in Burniston, near Scarborough.

The oil and gas company wants permission to install a 98ft drilling rig on the site, which has a “potentially significant gas resource” and, if further approvals were granted, extraction could take place for “about 20 years”.

The motion of opposition, which was approved at a meeting on Wednesday, July 16, noted the town council’s concern about an increase in HGV traffic through Scarborough, a “risk to groundwater and aquifers” supplying the town, as well as landscape “degradation and light and noise pollution”.

Town Councillor William Stuart said that even though the proposed site is not in Scarborough Town Council's area the development would have significant impacts on the town.

"This is not simply a gesture of solidarity with Burniston Parish Council, this application directly affects Scarborough itself, our roads, our tourism economy, our environment, and potentially even our water supply.

The inclusion of impacts on Scarborough traffic infrastructure, our aquifers, and our protected coastal landscapes gives the motion a sharper relevance to this council and to the residents we represent, and these are non abstract or remote concerns. They relate directly to public health, quality of life, and the long term sustainability of Scarborough as a visitor destination and coastal community."

Town councillors also affirmed their support for Burniston Parish Council and the local community, and the council expressed its “full and unwavering support for local residents in their opposition to the proposed fracking-style hydrocarbon development”.

Town Councillor Rich Maw said:

"this proposal by Europe in Burniston is wrong on multiple levels.

It offers no credible mitigation for HGV traffic through Scarborough risking safety, immunity and tourism.

The groundwater protections are weak. Our water supply should not be put at risk.

It would scar the heritage coast with noise, light, and visual pollution damaging wildlife and our visitor economy.

Scarborough Town Council stands fully with Burniston Parish Council and local residents.

This fracking style development is not welcome here. Communities have a right to reject industrialization that threatens their landscape and wellbeing."

Town Mayor - Councillor Thomas Murray read the full motion to the council.

"Scarborough Town Council formally objects to the planning application submitted by Europa Oil and Gas for proppant squeeze operation of the Cloughton well site citing unacceptable risks to Scarborough's infrastructure and environment.

The Council also expresses its fault and unwavering support for Burniston Parish Council and local residents in their opposition to this fracking style Hydrocarbon development near Burniston" 

Scarborough and Whitby’s MP Alison Hume and David Skaith, elected Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, have also opposed the plans, while Europa has said that its scheme would be positive for the local economy and that “no one’s going to notice” due to the “small volume” of the proposal.

Last week, Friends of the Earth wrote to North Yorkshire Council notifying it of the expert legal opinion it had obtained from one of the country’s leading barristers, Estelle Dehon KC – named Barrister of the Year at the Lawyer Awards 2025 – who said that ‘proppant squeeze’ qualifies as fracking under relevant planning policy, and that it must be considered as such when the council considers Europa’s application for planning permission.

Proppant squeeze procedures have been regularly used in the UK for several years, and industry experts consider the technique low volume, unlike the process formally termed ‘hydraulic fracturing’.

Europa Oil and Gas has previously said that a “slurry” would be injected into the well to fracture surrounding rocks, allowing more gas to be recovered.

This week, Friends of the Earth lawyers wrote to Ed Miliband, Secretary of State for Energy, urging him to close a loophole in the current fracking moratorium “as a matter of urgency”.

The environmental group said that having different definitions for fracking is creating confusion, and that the moratorium must be widened to cover all types of fracking, regardless of the volume of the injected fluid.”

Europa has maintained that “it is a misconception that there is a loophole” in the fracking moratorium.