Concern grows over gas drilling in Shropshire

The upbeat message came after a "steady stream" of worried residents attended a drop-in session yesterday organised by campaigners to find out how they can effectively object to the energy plans for the north of the county.

The two-hour drop-in session was organised at Criftins Parish Hall by members of Frack Free Dudleston.

The campaign group has been set up in opposition to plans by Dart Energy to drill a temporary coal bed methane exploration borehole north west of The Brooklands, Dudleston, near Ellesmere.

Protesters are worried that the test drilling will lead to a larger operation to extract the coal bed methane and could also open the door for controversial "fracking", or hydraulic fracturing, for shale gas.

More than 100 people have so far formally objected to Shropshire Council to the plans to drill the temporary coal bed methane exploration borehole.

Further drop-in advice sessions will be held at the parish hall on Monday from 2pm to 4pm and on Tuesdayfrom 6.30pm to 8.30pm.

Jean Hesketh, co-ordinator for Frack Free Dudleston, said the number of people who attended yesterday's drop-in session to find out how they should object reflected the growing concern about the plans.

She said: "We have had a steady stream of people coming in to get advice on what grounds they can object on.

"This was our first drop-in session and we expect to see more people at our further sessions on Monday and on Tuesday.

"The Tuesday session will be held in the evening to allow people who are at work during the day to get the advice they need.

"We are doing the drop-in sessions because we were asked by local residents to organise them.

"People want to know how they can object and the more they find out about what is going on, the more they are concerned.

"This is a concern both locally and nationally and that concern is growing as more people understand what is going on."

Mrs Hesketh said the drop-in sessions were vital in letting people know how to ensure their objection is effective.

She said: "The most important thing is that it has to be in their own words.

"We are not writing the objections for them or asking them to copy anything.

"What we are doing is letting them know on what grounds they can object.

Mrs Hesketh said: "People are telling us they have lots of worries about this.

"The main one raised at the drop-in session was pollution.

"People are worried that this one application will eventually lead to the industrialisation of this whole area.

Dart Energy denies it has any plans at the moment to explore for shale gas in the county, even though north Shropshire sits on both coal and shale, saying it is currently interested in coal bed methane only.

Peter Reilly, a spokesman for Dart Energy, said that once the 60-day period is up the site will be restored to its former condition.