In Dec 2011 - They were granted planning permission by KCC for a test bore hole at Woodnesborough nr Sandwich for 12 weeks work. So far they have not attempted to start drilling or prepared the site.
In July 2013 they put in application for three further test bore holes at Guston, Tilmanstone and Shepherdswell.
- KCC/DO/0216/2013 - Guston Court Farm, off Pineham Lane, Guston, Kent CT15 5ES - Temporary use of land (for up to 52 weeks) to allow drilling of an exploratory borehole to test insitu coal measures for methane gas, including provision of drilling rigs and associated site compound
- KCC/DO/0217/2013 - Former Tilmanstone Colliery, Off Pike Road, Eythorne, Kent, CT15 4ND - Temporary use of land (for up to 52 weeks) to allow drilling of an exploratory borehole to test insitu coal measures for methane gas, including provision of drilling rigs and associated site compound
- KCC/DO/0218/2013 - Land off an un-named road next to Puckland Wood (approximately 500m north east of the junction with Dover Road (A2) and 800m south west of the junction with Westcourt Lane), Shepherdswell, Kent, CT15 7PZ - Temporary use of land (for up to 52 weeks) to allow drilling of an exploratory borehole to test insitu coal measures for methane gas, including provision of drilling rigs and associated site compound
If the government are going to allow companies to dig, drill, frak or whatever for gas why don't they do it away from peoples homes? I understand that the drilling that is going to happen in the south east is because the gas is likely to be trapped in the coal seams which have been mined in the south east for decades. why then don't they just stick to test drilling in the old mines? I don't think anybody has a leg to stand on when it comes to complaining about noise and light pollution when you buy a house next to a mine even if it has been shut for years. Tilmanstone, Snowdown, Betshanger I don't have a problem with but to start up right behind homes that have been around for hundreds of years without the threat of mining is not fair and the drop in house prices as a result should be compensated by the companies who get the contracts to mine.
ReplyDeleteNIMBY!
DeleteAnyway, I think you are totally missing the point, here. Not only is 'Fracking' a particularly dangerous form of mining but it is also not going to be restricted to a handful of wells. The four local test-wells are just that! In real terms, they constitute a 'toe in the door' and once it is there it will be swiftly followed by dozens more which won't be for test purposes only!
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