Campaigners vow to keep fighting after controversial drilling plans approved for Derbyshire village

The Planning Inspectorate has granted chemicals company Ineos permission to drill a vertical hydrocarbon exploratory core well on land off Bramley Moor Lane, Marsh Lane, near Eckington, in order to extract rock samples for testing to see if it is viable to extract gas.

The decision means that fracking could eventually take place at the site depending on the outcome of the testing.

Inspector Elizabeth Hill, appointed on behalf of the Government, concluded in her report: “I have taken into account all of the representations made. I have found that there would be slight harm in terms of the living conditions of neighbouring occupiers, in terms of night-time noise, to which I give limited weight.

“However, this would not outweigh the benefits of the exploration in terms of its potential to improve resources for energy supplies to which I give substantial weight. On all other matters I consider that the impact is neutral overall. The conditions following this decision would ensure the development would be carried out in an acceptable manner.”

She added: “Therefore, I conclude that the appeal should be allowed.”

An eight-day inquiry was held in Chesterfield in June where Ms Hill heard evidence from Ineos and those campaigning against the proposals.

Local group, Eckington Against Fracking, has campaigned for the last 18 months when the plans first came to light, including peaceful protest marches and regular monthly meetings, and raised issues at the inquiry such as the impact on green belt, highways and noise.

Reacting to the announcement, David Kesteven, chairman of Eckington Against Fracking, said: “We are devastated. We knew it would have been a miracle had we won - a small village against such a big company - but we felt we did so well at the public inquiry. Had it just been down to planning law, we would have won.”

Mr Kesteven said that they put forward good arguments at the inquiry including noise, greenbelt and Apperknowle Airfield being nearby, but that ‘it was over before it began’ because they were not allowed to talk about fracking as they were told this was an application for an exploratory well – even though the inspector referred to the benefits of improving energy supplies in her report and gave more weight to that than the impact of noise.

“So there is a contradiction there,” he added.

“We are taking legal action whether we can appeal but the campaign will go on.

“These things can be won by mass action. Our campaign is strong. Our MP is incensed. We have the county council’s backing. Everybody is against it. We will fight it all the way. We are very disappointed, but we are not beaten.”

A planning application was made to Derbyshire County Council but Ineos took it to the Planning Inspectorate for an appeal because the firm claimed the council was taking too long to make a decision - something the authority denied. The council opposed the application after its planning committee refused the application by nine votes to one at a meeting in January.

Councillor Martyn Ford, chairman of the county council’s planning committee, said: “This is a very disappointing result for the residents of Marsh Lane and the surrounding area who came together and mounted such a well-organised campaign to oppose the application.

“We’ll be looking at the inspector’s report in detail over the coming days.”