Commercial drilling approved for West Newton oil and gas site

Rathlin Energy has run its exploratory oil and gas drill site in West Newton since 2013

Commercial production can begin at an oil and gas drilling site in East Yorkshire after it secured a permit.

The move means Rathlin Energy can create six additional wells at West Newton after a variation to its environmental permit was granted.

The Environment Agency (EA) said it had considered all the views shared in a recent consultation, adding it could not "find any reason" to refuse it.

The East Yorkshire Green Party called the move a "disaster".

The energy firm has run the exploratory oil and gas drill site, approximately nine miles (14km) north east of Hull city centre, for 10 years.

It had already secured planning approval for the expansion of operations at the site, but still required changes to its environmental permit.

Local residents have campaigned to prevent drilling in West Newton

On Friday, the EA announced it had "completed a detailed and rigorous assessment" to make sure the proposed changes complied with legal requirements and thanked those who had shared their views during the latest consultation.

Kathryn Richardson, EA area environment manager, said: "The Environment Agency is satisfied that the appropriate measures are in place for oil and gas extraction without causing harm to the environment or human health.

"After exploring the issues and concerns that have been raised, it cannot find any reason to refuse the application."

The government recently said it would issue hundreds of new licences for oil and gas exploration in the North Sea, with campaigners describing the move as sending a "wrecking ball through the UK's climate commitments".

Reacting to the news, Kevin Paulson, from the East Yorkshire Green Party, said: "It's a disaster locally because of the local pollution and the very large number of tanker trucks it will need to travel through our countryside to remove the oil.

"It's a disaster globally because there can be no new fossil fuel development if we're to honour the Paris Agreement."