Balcombe drilling protest

[2] Cuadrilla Resources, the company that proposes to drill the well, engaged in public relations efforts attempting to convince villagers that the project was both useful and safe.

[8] On 26 July there was a heavy police presence at the gates and about a dozen protestors were arrested and charged with violation of section 241 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 which governs picketing.

38 Degrees, a not-for-profit political-activism organisation reported raising £50,000 with £30,000 budgeted to support local groups, £10,000 for training, and £10,000 on development of internet sites and infrastructure.

[22] On 19 August activists engaged in direct actions at Cuadrilla headquarters in Lichfield, Staffordshire and at the London offices of Bell Pottinger, which conducts its public relations.

[21] As the day progressed the protesters where pushed to the side; dozens of arrests were made including Caroline Lucas the only Green Party MP.

According to Fiona Harvey of The Guardian the Balcombe protests coincide with movement of the issue of hydraulic fracturing to the front of the public agenda in the United Kingdom.

The Balcombe protests occurred against a background of political and public relations blunders such as this remark by the government energy minister Michael Fallon:The beauty of that - please don't write this down - is that of course [the oil and gas resources of the Weald Basin] are underneath the commentariat.

[27] According to Mr Justice Gilbart, author of the judgement, there was never really a question of fracking at Balcombe:[28] I have no doubt whatever that this proposal has caused considerable concern to the Claimant Association.

I recognise also that some parts of the public are concerned about the process commonly known as "fracking" although I must observe also that this application did not seek permission for that activity.The judgement concludes by rejecting the request for a judicial review.