Concern raised on drilling in Shropshire
Controversial plans to drill for methane gas in Shropshire should be refused, according to council leader Keith Barrow.
Dart Energy wants permission for a test drilling site at Criftins near Ellesmere, which could open up the possibility of more mining across the county.
Speaking at a packed public meeting in St Martins, Councillor Barrow said: "I do not think this is a very good idea. "I don't think this will be the last application and I think future applications could cover a fairly large area of North Shropshire.
"This is one of the most important issues to come up in many a long year. It is the unknown that worries me."
He told a meeting attended by more than 100 people that he would be working with council officers to look at the issue, adding that any reason for refusal had to be on planning grounds and must stand up to legal scrutiny.
A former miner from St Martins told the meeting in the village that he feared the exploratory drilling for coal bed methane could lead to the pollution of the local water system.
Neil Graham, a parish councillor, said that water pumped out to look for methane could be contaminated and could easily find its way into the aquifer of the area.
He worked at the Ifton Heath mine before it closed in 1968 and produced maps showing 17 different coal seams under the land in the area.
"None of the seams are level,in some areas they come to the surface," he said.
"There are a lot of things that worry me as an ex miner.
"As a councillor I'm worried about whether this will contaminate the water system."
People at the meeting were asked write letters of objection to Shropshire Council, sign a petition and contact MP Owen Paterson.
