I DO not seek to be offensive
to the various contributors
in respect of ‘Fracking activity
in Hampshire West’, but
with regret must report that
they are all too late in sending
up warning balloons.
 

The licences for this exploration
activity field have in
fact already been allocated
after a secret tendering
process. HM Government is
therefore the promoter and
financial backer for the
companies concerned. I am
told it is IGAS with an Alton
office, but you would have to
verify that.
 

It follows therefore that
this drilling will happen
quite soon so it is now just a
question of local communities
affected trying to in
some way mitigate the
damage and harm that will
be done.
 

This covers wildlife
conservation, rights of way
preservation, water and
river pollution, visual
impacts and, worst of all for
those of us in the local
villages – Clatfords,
Longstock, Abbotts Ann,
Leckford, Chilbolton (west
of river) and Wherwell
(south of forest) – the
terrible effect on property
prices right across the field.
 

I have no doubt your
contributors are all very
genuine in their heartfelt
concerns about fracking
and, of course, The Weekly
Advertiser as I still call it, in
making some report, but
they need to be told loud and
clear that it is simply too late
to stop this widespread field
exploration process.
 

It is not if it starts but
when, given that the
Government has in effect
both given the green
light and banked the
licence fees.
 

My rambling group have
written to all three MPs
covering the overlapping
area. No reply yet.
Margaret Peters,
 

Carter’s Clay, Romsey