Anti Fracking Camps UK a summary ......Anti Fracking Camps in the UK
There have been 23 camps to resist extreme energy extraction including fracking in the UK, and many more to come! Current live camps are Kirby Misperton, Leith Hill, Blackpool and Fylde, and Woolston and Thelwall. The oil and gas industry expect to return to many of the sites below. We must keep up the resistance!
South East England
Balcombe Community Protection Camp (West Sussex)
Camp was set up in July 2013 to protest Cuadrilla’s plans to exploratory drill for oil and was there for nearly 3 months. There is now an injunction near the site to stop the return of a camp. Cuadrilla can return giving 6 weeks notice to residents to start flow-testing.
Horse Hill Protection Camp (Surrey)
Known as the ‘Gatwick Gusher’, a small camp was set up to slow walk lorries from UKOG contractors in October 2014. On return to the site for further testing in February 2016 a larger camp was set up for 6 weeks. UKOG plan to start further flow testing in April 2017.
Leith Hill Protection Camp (Surrey) - LIVE
Camp occupied land in October 2016 to oppose Europa Oil but have been served an eviction last month which can take place any day now.
Brockham Protection Camp (Surrey)
A small camp set up in December 2016 to slow walk the lorries against Angus Energy to drill an existing oil field with a new permit for extreme energy extraction. They will commence drilling in a few months.
South West England
Swanage Protection Camp (Dorset)
Camp was set up in September 2016 to occupy the land until the deadline for work by InfraStrata which expired in December.
Midlands
Burton on the Wolds Protection Camp (Leicestershire)
Set up in October 2014 to oppose Edgon Resources drilling to see if oil could be extracted. There wasn’t any and camp disbanded in November.
Daneshill Community Protection Camp (Nottinghamshire)
Camp was set up in March 2014 for 6 weeks to oppose IGas test drilling for coal bed methane. The site is currently suspended and unknown if and when they will return.
Dudleston Community Protection Camp (Shropshire)
Camp was set up in August 2014. In July 2015, the access license with the landowner lapsed and he refused to renew it. Igas dropped the licence due to wrong geology.
North West
Barton Moss Community Protection Camp (Salford)
Camp set up Nov 2013. They had some of the worse winter conditions to endure. IGas completed their work in Mar 2014 and the camp left in April garnering great community solidarity. IGas claim they have no plans to return to the site and the frontline protectors in the movement, also affectionately known as the 'investor removal team', have made them practically bankrupt.
Blackpool & Fylde Community Protection Camp (Lancashire) - LIVE
Set up in January 2017 to assist the resistance at Preston New Road against Cuadrilla
Davyhulme Community Protection Camp (Manchester)
Set up in Jun 2014 again against Igas drilling for coal bed methane. The camp was evicted in Sept 2014. IGas plan to drill in future for CBM.
Ellesmere Port Community Protection Camp (Cheshire)
Was set up in Sept 2014 against Igas’s exploratory drilling for gas. The camp was shortly burnt down by unknowns after it was served an eviction. No one was injured.
Frack Free Farndon Protest Camp (Cheshire)
Set up in February 2014 for a month to protest Dart Energy to look for coal bed methane. There is no information on IGas site who acquired Dart in 2014.
Lancashire Community protection Camp (Blackpool)
A camp set up by the Nanas at Preston New Road for a short time in Blackpool. Reclaim the Power held their August 2014 Direct Action Camp in the same field.
Lower Kinnerton Camp (Cheshire)
A small camp set up Feb 2016 for a few weeks with protectors from the Upton Camp. IGas confirmed it has no plans to drill there and the camp disbanded.
Upton Community Protection Camp (Cheshire)
UCPC was set up in April 2014 by undisclosed individuals who recognised the opportunity of occupying the drill site prior to works commencing, and it was finally evicted and demolished on January 12th 2016.
175 police officers from four forces were involved in the eviction of the camp but on 5th February, IGas, announced it had abandoned plans to drill at the site because the coal bed methane was not commercially viable. They refused to assist with policing costs.
It was the first fracking site in the UK where the tactic of occupying the land before drilling was employed and has since been replicated elsewhere. It was also the longest running anti fracking camp in the UK prior to its demise and won the award at the Climate Games in Paris in Dec 2014.
Woolston and Thewall Community Protection Camp (Cheshire) - LIVE
Set up in April 2015 protesting Edgon Resources drilling for oil. They remain on site despite being issued with an eviction order in May 2015. Still going strong. Igas had not released any plans for the site.
Yorkshire
Crawberry Hill Community Protection Camp - (East Yorkshire)
Camp set up in May 2014 to oppose Rathlin Energy drilling. The camp was evicted in Jan 2015. Rathlin pulled out in August 2015, saying it had decided to concentrate its test drilling work for oil and gas at a second site at West Newton in Holderness
Kiln Lane Community Protection Camp (Lincolnshire)
Set up in March 2015 for a month, to resist Europa Oil & Gas and Egdon who said well was not successful.
Kirby Misperton (Ryedale, Yorkshire) - LIVE
Camp set up in December 2015 after the judicial review failed to stop Third Energy from fracking there. They expect to frack in April 2017.
West Newton Community Protection Camp (East Yorkshire)
Camp set up in April 2015 to oppose Rathlin Energy plan to frack shale gas. Due to incident in August 2015 that resulted in an emergency well shutdown, 2 of the 3 tests that were planned (including the mini-frack) were abandoned.
West Newton B Community Protection Camp (East Yorkshire)
Another camp was set up in August 2015 to oppose Rathlin Energy to explore and test for oil and gas. The camp disbanded in October 2015. Rathlin will return once all permits have been acquired.
Wales
Borras and Holt community protection Camp (Wrexham, Wales)
Set up in October 2014 against Dart Energy (acquired by IGas) drilling for shale gas. The camp was evicted November 2014, but a site directly opposite had already been occupied and a new camp was set up immediately. In June 2016 the PEDL licence for Wrexham, as well as several others, was dropped by the Oil and Gas Authority.
