Bleadon Fracking Talk Update

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MAIN FRACKING BLOG 

UPDATE 14 SEP 22: Bleadon at Risk of Fracking Again (see blog)

UPDATE 13 APR 22: Distrrict Cllr Porter following APM, "I raised the issue of Fracking at last nights council meeting, and it was confirmed that a motion to continually ban fracking in North Somerset will come forward to council. This position is fully supported, and the portfolio holder has agreed to our consultation on this motion to Council.."

UPDATE 11 APR 22: BPC Draft APM Mins (pg2) & Amendments and BOB Draft APM Mins

UPDATE 09 SEP 19: Min 326.28 "Members noted that John Penrose's secretrary had confirmed receipt of the Parish Council's letter regarding Bleadon being frack free" (Image)

UPDATE 07 AUG 19: Clevedon Town Council declare opposition to any fracking in Clevedon (Min 19/1107)

UPDATE 08 JULY 19: Councillors declare Bleadon 'Frack-free', agreeing "... that Clerk would write to the Leader (of NSC, Cllr Don Davies) and copy it to ALCA and DEFRA" (Min 324.11)

UPDATE 04 JULY 19: Bleadon Parish Council added a 'fracking' item to their July public meeting agenda.

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The following are my draft notes on the Frack Free North Somerset (FFNS) public meeting held on the 11 June 2019 at the Coronation Hall in Bleadon.  

About 40 people attended the open meeting. There was an interesting, calm and informative discussion about potential 'fracking' in Bleadon. This was followed by a number of questions raised by the public and discussed with FFNS, Frack Free Exmoor, Quantocks & Sedgemoor (FFEQS) and by a local caver from Axbridge Caving Group .

Some points covered included:

• A map of the 7 current Petroleum Exploration & Development Licences (PEDL) in the area, including Bleadon.
• Information that at least two Bleadon residents on Roman Road had already received oil and gas exploration survey letters 
• Broad explanation about the process of 'fracking', tight oil, acidification, and associated issues that a 'fracking' site could create e.g. the number of potential drilling rigs and chemicals used, drilled well integrity issues, HGV traffic, etc.
• Information about Gerwyn Williams (PDF) his companies, offshore company in Luxembourg, imminent stockmarket activity and shareholders financing this potential fracking project (See table of "Potential resources of unconvential oil in Somerset" p31 of the Infinity Energy Circular)
• Suggestion that residents watch a 6 minute video called Don't Frack Our Future (also Doreen's youtube comments on her experience of fracking coming to her community).
• Results of the FFNS survey in Hutton - 87% of people surveyed were opposed to fracking in their parish.
• Some of the known effects of fracking e.g. visual and audible effects, community safety, health issues, earthquakes, contribution to climate change, carbon dioxide emmissions, 
• Use of water in the 'fracking' process, where it may come from, polluted/contaminated waste, the need for water extraction licences. (See also Bristol Water) 
• The planning process and current concern over proposed permitted development  (See also NPPF and potential Neighbourhood Plan influence)
• Developer insurance and end of contract/decommissioning concerns (including potential land owner cleanup issues) 
• Alternative solutions, renewable energy, need for energy storage
• Geological and palentological significances of the caves in and surrounding Bleadon, an explanation of international importance of these sites including registration as an SSSI. E.g. Upper Canada Cave (PDF), Canada Coombe, Bleadon. NB A local landowner has left land to Avon Wildlife Trust with certain permissions for caving.
• Potential for contaminated water seepage through limestone and any connected caves affecting Bleadon and surrounding villages (water usage diagram) (PDF)
• The importance of bats in the area.
• A resident commented, and posted,  "... having moving into Bleadon at the end of May, I/we were aware of the potential for fracking in this area from the Fracking Report we got with the rest of the information regarding the house" (See comments section below)

What can people do? The more that developers, shareholders and public representatives hear comments against fracking the less likely it will happen, so:

• Encourage Bleadon Parish Council to pass a motion to either be 'Frack Free' or 'Let Communities Decide' (PDF)
• Write to your parish and district councillors and MP either directly or via "They Work for You/Write to Them" which will track responses. (John Penrose MP has indicated that he will represent the community's decision)
• Personally visit and speak to your elected representatives, let them hear your views on this local 'fracking' issue.
• Let FFNS know if you, or your neighbours, receive a request to survey your land for 'fracking'
• Contact FFNS and/or FFEQS if you're interested in being involved in a Bleadon Committee/Action Group to tackle this issue and/or would like another public meeting on this issue to be held.
• Write to local newspapers

Two councillors attended as residents:

• Cllr Mary Sheppard, Bleadon Parish Council Vice Chair, attended the whole meeting. At the end she thanked FFNS  for hosting the meeting and presenters for sharing information with the community.
• Cllr Gill Williams, Chair of BPC's Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP), attended part way through the meeting and confirmed, when asked by an attendee, that BPC had not yet received a letter from the developer Gerwyn Williams regarding potential fracking in Bleadon.

Hopefully BPC, and its Neighbourhood Development Plan sub-group, will now reconsider its stance on fracking to protect Bleadon's future, and decide to be 'Frack Free' or 'Let Communities Decide'

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NB: Kingston Seymour Council, near Clevedon, declared its Parish a 'frack free zone' in September 2018 and Weston Town Council in November 2018.

For more information visit BOB's fracking page and table of articles

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