Frack Off Our Forest, a local pressure group, are urging Herefordshire residents to write to their local MP, Jesse Norman, if they believe that fracking should not be allowed in the Wye Valley or the Forest of Dean.

It was revealed last year that areas of the Wye Valley and the Forest of Dean are currently under consideration for fracking and gas and oil exploration.

On Thursday, July 21st, it was announced that South Western Energy had formally been issued a Government licence to explore for gas and oil. This licence had been offered to the company in December last year, and Frack Off Our Forest had been attempting to persuade the Government to withdraw this offer.

This licence area covers the whole of the Forest of Dean and a part of the Wye Valley. The licence gives South Western Energy exclusive rights to explore for gas or oil by drilling into rock and coal seams in the area.

The company has made a firm commitment to drill at least one hole in area, which covers the area around Hope Mansell, Mitcheldean, Ruardean, Drybrook, Cinderford, Bream, Yorkley, Blakeney, Parkend and Lydney.

Another local area is covered by another licence which has also been offered to South Western Energy. This area includes Goodrich, Marstow, Whitchurch, Symonds Yat, Lydbrook, English Bicknor, Berry Hill, and Coleford. The company have not yet made a firm commitment to drill any holes, but they say they are keeping their options open.

The company will have five years to drill, and then another five years to consider whether to develop the licence area into a gas field.

Frack Off Our Forest have been campaigning against fracking in the local area since August 2015. After the news broke that the licence had been formally issued to South Western Energy, Frack Off Our Forest urge South Herefordshire residents to write to their MP, Jesse Norman, if they are opposed to gas and oil exploration and fracking in the local area.

As Mr Norman has been recently appointed as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, he will be in a position to listen to their concerns, which the group hopes he will act on.

A spokesperson for Frack Off Our Forest told the Ross Gazette: “We have not up to now had any correspondence with Jesse Norman, but Herefordshire anti-frackers - with whom we are campaigning alongside - have been in touch with him.

“We will be seeking a meeting with Mr Norman in his Junior Energy Secretary role, which we hope he will balance with his role in protecting his constituents - including those in Symonds Yat, Whitchurch, Welsh Newton, Llangrove, Goodrich, et cetera, whose homes are now licenced for gas or oil exploration, as well as those in the ‘potential impacts zone’ including Ross-on-Wye.

“We hope he will press the case for clean energy rather than environmentally devastating fracking in his new role.”