Newsletter – SITE MEETING – Decision Day
SEND:13 June 2013

Dear Friends and Neighbours,

After a long hot summer during which nothing outwardly appears to have happened regarding the application to test drill for shale gas in Llantrithyd, suddenly decision day is upon us! We have learnt that Application Ref 2013/00335/FUL is scheduled to be considered by the Vale of Glamorgan Planning Committee on Thursday 3rd October. Are we ready? We believe that we are as ready as we can possibly be. You have all sent in your letters of objection and you have signed the e-petition by the hundreds, but it’s still not too late to add a few more signatures. Tell your family and friends, however near or far – they all count. Members of the Villagers Against Drilling Steering Group, in particular Marc Howell, have worked tirelessly over the past weeks, seeking further clarification from Natural Resources Wales on their response to the application. As a result NRW has acknowledged that they will require developers of projects in Wales to apply for a Mining Waste Permit and a Waste Water Permit. A result certainly but the battle goes on!

SITE MEETING
At 12.00 noon, Wednesday 2nd October Members of the Planning Committee have been called to the site for a meeting and this will be another opportunity for us to demonstrate our opposition to this application! We would like to ask, implore and even beg you to attend the site meeting. We are not able to ‘voice’ our opinions but we can show our resolve by attending in numbers. Placards and protest banners are welcome!

Access to the site is hazardous to say the least – the very location of the proposed site on a busy single track road being just one of our many objections. We therefore propose that we use the same procedure as when Jane Hutt AM visited the site in June. From about 11.30am on Wednesday 2nd October, please make your way to Llantrithyd cross-roads (The Cross), on foot if possible as parking is very limited. From there, follow the signs to the gateway opposite Twin Pines and as on the previous occasion, those of us with 4×4 vehicles will be on hand to transport you across the two fields to the Bonvilston to Llancadle road. From this road, with caution, we can approach the site on foot. For reasons of safety, please endeavor to wear bright colours to be clearly visible on this stretch of road – ‘high viz’ if possible. We had an excellent turnout in June; let’s make it an even bigger one this time. It really does matter, make your presence count!

FURTHER PROTEST
If you’re in the mood for protest, there are two other events which you can attend. Tomorrow, Monday 23rd September, Sustainable Wales/ Cymru Gynhaliol have organized a public meeting at 7.30 pm at the ‘Y’ Centre, 25 John Street, Porthcawl to discuss underground coal gasification and hydraulic fracturing. For further information go to www.sustainablewales.org.uk, or call: 01656 783962.

On Tuesday 24th September at The Senedd, Cardiff Bay, between 12.00 and 2.30pm there’s an event that could have an immediate and important effect. The Frack Free Wales Coalition has organized a petition to urge Assembly Members to support a moratorium in Wales on all drilling activities for unconventional gas. We are asked to meet at the Oval Basin at 12.00 and to walk from there to The Senedd to lobby AM’s as they arrive. https://www.facebook.com/events/320796401400152/?ref=22. If you are opposed to drilling for gas this is something you should not miss.