Paul Watkins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 9 Nov 2011
- Posts: 2,226
Meeting finished just before 10.00pm. Vote against project was upheld with just two voting against. Well organised meeting. Representatives from neighbouring villages also in attendance namely Whitfield and Langdon.
Watty
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
all sounds very enthusiastic and i expect the other 2 meetings to have a similar response and vote.
what we don't know is the reason that people were so against the exploratory drillng. were they against fracking full stop or just having it happen so close to home with the attendant noise and traffic problems.
Paul Watkins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 9 Nov 2011
- Posts: 2,226
Your latter comments Howard. The audience were told to forget fracking as this was not a fracking. application. Straightforward drilling using using water and another solution to aid drilling i.e avoiding overheating of drilling equipment.
watty
Guest 1058- Registered: 21 Sep 2013
- Posts: 3
Dear All,
Its been a long time since I have posted on the Dover Forum...Not since the No Open Prison Campaign . Once again the good people of Guston, along with Shepherdswell and Tilmanstone have been thrown a curved ball.
Once again, the good people of Burgoyne and the fantastic people of Guston will join together for the good of the whole Parish.
The plans for the drilling have been under development since at least last November when sound levels were being monitored. No one thought to mention it to the Parish. The news finally broke on Tuesday 10th.
We managed to arrange the meeting at Burgoyne Heights with just 8 days notice. As mentioned in previous posts....the attendance was fantastic. Everyone came with the aim of gathering information.
The Chair and Vice Chair of Balcombe Parish Council gave a very informative speech that covered their own battle with the "Oil Company", the "Anti-Frackers" and also the Press.
When the minutes have been typed they will be displayed on the Guston Parish Website. I will try and post a link on here.
Finally, the meeting in Shepherdswell on the 25th September, will be a chance for the 3 Parish Councils to come together, again, to gather information. It could be a very packed meeting.....
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
thanks for that julie, do try not to stay away for so long next time.
a point i would like to make is that i had a chinese whisper on the day that there was a meeting at guston that evening.
there was nothing on the parish council website and thankfully a third party gave me the details so that i could notify people on here.
the meeting was of interest to people in tilmanstone and shepherdswell in addition to guston so i think that communication could have been better.
Guest 1058- Registered: 21 Sep 2013
- Posts: 3
Thank you Howard,
I take on board your comments. When we first heard the news we felt that we needed facts and information for ourselves, before we could then talk to the rest of the village. We wanted to try and get some answers ,so that we would be in a position to offer advice. However, KCC then sent letters informing just a small selection of the villagers about the planning application.
We had to have an immediate rethink...the Community Centre was hastily booked late Friday afternoon. I hand delivered information to a Whitfield Parish Cllr on Saturday ( They were completely unaware of the planning application). I even had my Mum helping to hand delivering leaflets to every house in Archers Court Road. Basically, we did our best in the few days we had.
I think the meeting to be held in Shepherdswell this week will give the parish Councils the time to work together and share information.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
thanks julia, got your name right this time.
you are right that the more meetings that are held will give other villagers the chance to share concerns and information gleaned.
this has all the hallmarks of middle england fighting their corner.
Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
In the past I have stated on the Forum that Whitfield may become a centre of attraction for coal-related activities, which may affect the DDC core strategy.
Considering the Government's dilemma in searching for a future energy programme, and seeing that nuclear is as good as out, it should not be a surprise that Dover District is at the top of the list in the Government's book on future energy.
I've also stated that, ironically, Western Docks is the ideal place for access to coal under the coast.
Beneath Dover - town, nearby villages and harbour - are immense coal reserves.
I'm afraid an article I wrote in 2010 about Kent put a flea in someone's ear.
It's out there on the Web and appeared on various websites.
Personally I believe the Government, for strategic reasons, may block the DDC core strategy, owing to the coal reserves.
Obviously, where coal is, there too is gas.
Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
Actually, I think the Government may be seriously considering handing over the Port to the local councils as a compensation for access to coal and gas reserves.
According to reliable sources, an imminent handover of Port ownership to the Community is forthcoming.
My guess is, the Government will require in return access to the coal reserves here.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
if that is true alex, watty and friends will have their work cut, probably have to delegate some of the work to the town council.
Guest 1055- Registered: 17 Sep 2013
- Posts: 8
Dear all, CPRE Protect Kent have arranged a meeting for tomorrow (Wed) at 7:15pm in Shepherdswell Village Hall for anyone interested in finding out more about the three planning applications.
The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be
Guest 716- Registered: 9 Jun 2011
- Posts: 4,010
Get there early or you will be listening outside.
Guest 671- Registered: 4 May 2008
- Posts: 2,095
"My New Year's Resolution, is to try and emulate Marek's level of chilled out, thoughtfulness and humour towards other forumites and not lose my decorum"
Guest 710- Registered: 28 Feb 2011
- Posts: 6,950
Thank you Gary.
[We'd best keep this to ourselves.]
Ignorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing.
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
I do not know what all this fuss is about just over one bor hole,you will be wasting your own time by going to this meeting you are better off outside in this great weather we are having,they are going to dill it anyway I hope they find oil tons of it if you live near or on the site they will buy you out making you all very rich. But I do not think they will,but again who am I to say?
Guest 716- Registered: 9 Jun 2011
- Posts: 4,010
# 53.having been in the Oil & Petro-chem Industry for three decades we cannot rely on the words
in the last paragraph..``not necessarily considered``..at this stage of exploration.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
i spotted that reg, they seem to be willing to shell out a small fortune with the proviso that if gas is found there is a strong likelihood that they would not extract it.
i doubt many local residents are taken in by that one.
Guest 725- Registered: 7 Oct 2011
- Posts: 1,418
Sorry Vic but people are right to be concerned about the impact of all this on their village. It's not simply a small matter of drilling one bore hole and that's the end of the matter. There is the prospect of a complete transformation of the area for the worse but unfortunately at the Guston meeting the invited guest representing Coastal oil and gas ltd. who is a geologist working for the company was unable to answer any of the vital questions posed to him by members of the audience.
Crucially he was unable to tell anyone how the gas would be transported from the site if the exploration was, indeed, successful.
This is very strange for someone in the field not to be in full possession of such fundamental facts.
He did mention one option which consisted of on site electricity production via a mobile generator running on the gas which would then feed into the grid. No mention of noise or other environmental implications.
The only other options left, in my mind, would be either a pipeline or thousands of tanker journeys to take the gas off site to some sort of storage depot.
There were other unanswered questions which left people frustrated which is why, I expect, there was a near unanimous vote against at the end of the meeting.
In terms of reassuring the village of how this form of energy extraction might affect them I consider it an epic fail.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
surprised that coastal oil and gas did not send down someone fully briefed, preferably someone with p.r. skills.
it is fairly obvious what questions the residents would ask.
Guest 725- Registered: 7 Oct 2011
- Posts: 1,418
Coastal oil and gas ltd. comprises three people one of whom is the geologist.
"My New Year's Resolution, is to try and emulate Marek's level of chilled out, thoughtfulness and humour towards other forumites and not lose my decorum"