WITH reference to your article in the Standard regarding Fracking in the Cotswold, although no applications have as yet been made, nor possibly will ever be. I take issue with the comments from the ‘experts who have carried out extensive research’, Mr Whittaker or Mr Irving saying that it is not suitable for this part of the country is ludicrous; have they ever visited the Water Park? How do they think that came about? And it still is expanding – 40 square miles of it, with new road networks and thousands of lorries, plus hundreds of jobs created from it. Has that become a barren wasteland?

No, the complete opposite. The same has happened with all the gravel extraction in different areas of the Cotswolds. We have other examples, the major runway work at Fairford which involved hundreds of lorries and a road widening scheme, major gas pipeline through the Cotswolds, all with no problems.

Near the village of Beckingham there has been a type of fracking for the last 50 years; on the site are now a RSPB nature reserve with landscaped grassland and four unobtrusive nodding donkeys pumping the oil. Like the Water Park, visited by many enthusiasts and tourists.

I am just trying to show that even though initially there is disruption, eventually with strict rules in place, as I believe there will be, the land site can be returned safely to its original state or even enhanced, bringing even more employment. Even the rent a mob benefit protesters such as at Balcombe could find something simple to do in line with their intelligence level.

You cannot compare fracking in the USA with the UK as new stricter rules will be in place. There are concerns about the water mixture pumped into the drill, but new processes are being used including recycling. Mind you, last time I said this was at Mr Whittaker’s first meeting, where I was shouted down as a liar by one of the Balcombe mob, they just don’t like facts.

I do have my reservations about fracking, so I will listen to both sides of the argument, for and against, but only the proven facts, not scare mongering, so that leaves the Green party out for starters.

PAUL BLANNIN

Stratton Heights

Cirencester