SWISS petrochemicals giant Ineos is holding a meeting with councillors today (Wednesday, May 11), saying it intends to address concerns on its intention to extract shale gas in North Yorkshire.

Ineos Shale is meeting in Malton with town and parish councillors, saying it wishes to explain its view on how shale gas can be extracted safely. 

This summer the company is carrying out seismic surveys to pinpoint prime sites for fracking across North Yorkshire, where it holds licences. It is believed the company intends to concentrate its efforts on fracking in the vale of Pickering. 

Planning applications for core drilling are expected to be submitted at the end of the year.

The meeting is taking place days before North Yorkshire County Councillors vote on whether to allow Third Energy to frack at Kirby Misperton near Pickering. Council officers have recommended the plans are approved. 

Gary Haywood, chief executive of Ineos Shale said: “Meeting town and parish councils is the beginning of our long term conversation with communities.

“We are committed to meeting with and addressing the concerns of local people and are starting with their community representatives. We will move on to holding open public exhibitions events in the coming weeks and months.”

He added: “Meeting town and parish councils is the beginning of our long term conversation with communities. We are committed to meeting with and addressing the concerns of local people and have started with their community representatives.

“We look forward to holding a program of open public exhibition events, where we will listen to the concerns that local people have, and answer their questions.”

Anti-fracking protestors from across the county say they will stage a peaceful demonstration outside the event to show their opposition to the company’s plans.

Councillor Di Keal said: “This announcement by Ineos should serve as a wake-up call for the whole of Yorkshire. The industry has now confirmed that fracking would result in thousands of wells, with all the disruption, traffic, noise, pollution and other problems that fracking causes.

“How will North Yorkshire survive as a premier tourist destination if its landscape is to be industrialised on such an enormous scale?”

Jackie Cray, who lives in Kirby Misperton, less than half a mile from Third Energy's proposed fracking site at KM8, said: "This shocking news from Ineos shows why it is so important for the NYCC to reject next week's application for fracking at KM8.

“If this is approved, it could open the floodgates for a rash of fracking applications all across North Yorkshire."