Close the loophole that allows 'mini fracking', ministers urged

Published: 22:00, 24 April 2026 | Updated: 22:06, 24 April 2026 Ministers have been urged to close a 'loophole' in the fracking ban. Plans to open a 'mini fracking' site in Burniston, North Yorkshire, were met with outrage from campaigners and residents and were rejected by North Yorkshire Council last month. Europa Oil and Gas, which put forward the application, said it could extract at least 41billion cubic feet of gas, powering the equivalent of 130,000 homes. The company said it will appeal the council's decision, claiming that mini fracking was 'completely safe'. But now campaigners are lobbying the Government to close a 'loophole' in the fracking moratorium to include smaller sites such as Burniston. Fracking was effectively banned in 2019 following a 2.9-magnitude earthquake close to a site in Lancashire. But a number of mini fracking sites are making their way through England's planning system, including in West Newton in East Yorkshire and Wressle in North Lincolnshire. An anti fracking campaigner in North Yorkshire. Plans to open a 'mini fracking' site in Burniston, North Yorkshire, were met with outrage from campaigners and residents Pictured: The site in Burniston where Europa Oil and Gas said it could extract at least 41billion cubic feet of gas, powering the equivalent of 130,000 homes Supporters of mini fracking say there has been no evidence of tremors at the sites. In an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage pledged to introduce a radical cheap-energy policy, including giving the green light for fracking. Cheap energy, he said, had to be at the heart of any industrial revival - coupled with a dramatic welfare clampdown designed to save money and prod people back into work. 'What I'm talking about is a completely new vision for industry, for jobs and an energy revolution,' Mr Farage said.  Asked if this will include fracking, which was paused by the Conservatives and halted by Labour, he said: 'Yeah, I won't quite make it compulsory, but the North Lincolnshire field - up under the Humber towards Doncaster, in an area with a history of extractive industries - we can have that operational within nine months. Jackdaw (gas field) in the North Sea, within 12 weeks.' No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.