Villagers unite to battle plans for ‘disgusting’ fracking probe

Villagers unite to battle plans for ‘disgusting’ fracking probe by Richard Creasy, May 19, 2013, Express.co.uk
VILLAGERS have vowed to fight plans which could ruin their picturesque stockbroker-belt community. They are horrified that fracking operations are due to start next month to see if ground thousands of feet below their homes could produce shale gas. Giant energy firm Cuadrilla which is behind the scheme has been hit by a wave of protest in Balcombe, West Sussex, 16 miles north of Brighton, with 82 per cent of residents against the plan.

Trainee nutrionist Nancy Towers and a group of neighbours have now organised a No Fracking in Balcombe campaign and 300 people recently packed the village hall to confront Cuadrilla bosses.

The 47-year-old mother-of-two said: “This is a totally inappropriate site for an oil or gas field. We have major worries about noise, water and air pollution as well as traffic. It is not a properly tried and tested method of extraction. If this disgusting practice of fracking sneaks through it won’t be long before it is prevalent everywhere in our green and pleasant land.”

The firm’s chief executive Francis Egan said: “We are fully aware people have many questions about our plans and we will do our best to answer them.” [Emphasis added]

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