Shropshire campaigners hit back in row over gas drilling plan
Campaigners today hit back at energy bosses who "wrongly accused" them of misunderstanding an application to drill for gas in north Shropshire.
Dart Energy has applied to operate an exploratory borehole for coal bed methane in Dudleston Heath, near Ellesmere.
But after action group Frack-Free Dudleston (FFD) spearheaded the campaign against the plans, energy bosses issued a rebuttal which said the group's claims were based on a "misunderstanding of the proposal".
Key to its report dismissing the claims was the insistence from the energy firm that it would not be fracking for shale gas on the site, and that it was to be used only for coal bed methane purposes.
It said FFD had tried to expand the application into a "hypothetical development scenario" and that it should be "disregarded".
But the campaigners have released a response stating they still believe the application is "substantially flawed" and that Dart Energy has failed to meet promises made at consultation meetings.
Chris Hesketh's report on behalf of FFD, said: "One of the promises made was that if a community did not want them there then they wouldn't go there. That was a bold and generous promise, but sadly not one that appears to have much chance of being honoured."
The group also said it had a clear understanding of the difference between fracking and coal bed methane, something Dart Energy claimed was flawed.
The two groups have disagreed over whether the tests would have any benefits.
