As you may know, INEOS have lodged an appeal with the planning inspectorate against Rotherham Council’s decision to refuse permission for exploratory drilling at a site on the edge of Woodsetts.
Starting on Tuesday 11th June, the Appeal will be heard at Riverside House, Main Street, Rotherham, S60 1AE. It will last for eight days.
- Woodsetts against Fracking (WAF) need as many people as possible to come to Rotherham on the opening morning, 11th June, at 9.00 AM with lots of banners and placards.
- They are also asking for people to make short video statements to the WAF media team outside the Appeal, and to take part in a photo shoot mid-morning.
- They’re also asking for people to be present in the public gallery throughout the hearing.
INEOS’ proposed fracking site is ploughed field in the foreground
INEOS want to turn the brown ploughed field in the foreground into an industrial site and a site entrance which is just metres from vulnerable residents living in sheltered accommodation. The entrance will see 1000’s of vehicle movements which will then drive right through Woodsetts village.
It’s important to note that Woodsetts is a small village and has had to raise tens of thousands of pounds through crowd funding in order to defend itself against one of the country’s richest men.
Aside from the importance of the hearing to the village itself, this is set to be a crucial stage in deciding the future of exploration and extraction of fossil fuels in England as a whole.It’s an opportunity to make our opposition felt and take full advantage of the media presence.
Between now and then, there will be updates of detailed information on the group’s Facebook page.
Woodsetts Against Fracking media team need you on video!
At the Appeal on day 1, the Woodsetts Against Fracking media team are asking for volunteers to make short video statements about why they are there. They are after emotion, feeling and human connection. Are you angry? Devastated? Betrayed? What is it you want to say? The onsite media team will be wearing high viz tops saying ‘WAF media team’, please liaise with them. The videos will be compiled and distributed through social media under a campaign named #IamWoodsetts, they will feed out for 2 weeks and Woodsetts Against Fracking are hoping for at least 100 videos.
There will also be a photo shoot mid-morning and again the more people around, the bigger the impression we will make.
Presence in public gallery needed throughout the hearing
It’s also important that we have a presence in the public gallery during the hearing itself – anyone who can spare a couple of hours at any point during the days following the 11th June will be very welcome. If you are able to go, could you let James from Mosborough Against Fracking know and he’ll keep a log. This will mean they can identify times when people are thin on the ground and try and make sure they cover as much of the working hours each day as possible.