North Yorkshire Council formally rejects fracking application near Scarborough

Friends of the Earth has welcomed North Yorkshire Council’s confirmation that it has rejected an application to carry out proppant squeeze fracking at Burniston, near Scarborough.

The move follows the council’s decision last month that it was "minded to refuse" the application pending a government decision on whether an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was needed.

Earlier this month the government confirmed it would not request further information on the environmental impact of the proposal, clearing the way for councillors to turn down the application and issue a refusal notice.

The government has pledged to “ban fracking for good” and is expected to outline plans to do so in the near future when it publishes its Energy Independence Bill, announced in the King’s Speech.

Friends of the Earth is calling on ministers to close a loophole in the current moratorium, which could still allow certain low-volume techniques - such as proppant squeeze - to go ahead, by introducing a ban on all forms of fracking. Failure to do so will leave many communities across parts of the country at risk of fracking.

Friends of the Earth campaigner, Tony Bosworth, said:

“We’re delighted this damaging scheme has now been formally rejected. Now we need the government to act. Ministers are expected to outline plans soon to ‘ban fracking for good’. If they are serious about protecting communities from the scourge of fracking, this ban must include all forms of the practice, including proppant squeeze.”

Ends

Notes to editors: 

1.    Fracking: the facts | Friends of the Earth briefing

2. One proppant squeeze application has already been granted in East Yorkshire and more applications are in the pipeline:  

• West Newton in East Yorkshire: Rathlin Energy has already had permission granted for the production of oil and gas but applied to the Environment Agency (EA) to be allowed to use proppant squeeze. The EA approved this permit variation to allow proppant squeeze/well stimulation in February 2026. Since then, East Riding Council has voted unanimously against fracking  at the site, and a local resident is seeking to overturn permission granted by the Environment Agency.
• Wressle near Scunthorpe in North Lincolnshire: Egdon Resources had its planning application for two more production wells and lower-volume fracking (proppant squeeze) quashed in 2024. A further planning application is yet to be submitted, but the council has stated an EIA (to better assess environmental impacts) will not be required.