horndeanmatters

Find out the facts about hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking, at the next Community Forum to be held in Horndean.

The process for exploring land for gas and oil reserves hit the national headlines recently when planning permissions were granted for shale gas extraction and associated hydraulic fracturing in North Yorkshire. There is no shale oil and gas extraction in Hampshire currently.

At the meeting on Tuesday 21 June, representatives from Hampshire County Council will explain more about oil and gas development, the hydraulic fracturing process and how any local applications would be managed in Hampshire.

Councillor Ken Moon, the chairman of East Hampshire District Council’s Community Forum for Horndean, Clanfield and the Southern Parishes, said there is a lot of local interest in the topic. “This is an opportunity to come along and listen to the experts speak about hydraulic fracturing: what it is, what it is for and how proposals for hydraulic fracturing would be determined in Hampshire. This is a topic that is attracting a lot of interest, discussion and misinformation at the moment and I would encourage anyone who wants to find out the facts of the matter to come along to the meeting.”

Councillor Rob Humby, Executive Member for Environment and Transport at Hampshire County Council, said: “Hampshire has a very strong Minerals and Waste Plan in place designed to protect Hampshire’s environment while at the same time maintaining local communities and supporting the economy. It contains policies and guidance which guide oil and gas development in the county. The plan is also supported by a recently adopted supplementary planning document, providing more guidance and setting out expectations for oil and gas development in Hampshire. It is important for Hampshire’s residents to understand that any application for oil and gas development needs to go through a robust planning process, to be determined against the policies in this plan. Hampshire County Council would determine any proposal in its administrative area in its role as Minerals Planning Authority.”

Hydraulic fracturing is the technique used in gas and oil exploration involving drilling down into the earth before a high-pressure water mixture is directed into the rock to release the gas or oil inside.

Hampshire already has a history of conventional oil extraction, with three oilfields being located across the county, including at Horndean.

The meeting is at Merchistoun Hall on Tuesday 21st June starting at 6:30pm. Please come along and if you can it would be appreciated if you can pre-register interest with Rebecca Probert on rebecca.probert@easthants.gov.uk