PROTESTORS in Helmsley have taken to the streets to demonstrate against Government plans to take decisions on fracking out of local hands.

The demonstrators, holding placards emblazoned with anti-fracking slogans, gathered on Saturday outside Malton and Thirsk MP Kevin Hollinrake's constituency surgery at Helmsley Arts Centre.

Ian Conlan, from Frack Free Ryedale, said: "North Yorkshire County Council, handling the KM8 application to frack, has its hands tied thanks to Government rules that force the council to 'trust' the Environment Agency to regulate risk. This means residents' well-founded concerns such as drinking water contamination and air pollution, house prices and insurance, are not allowed to be taken into account."

North Yorkshire County Council has been considering the fracking application by Third Energy for more than six months, with the deadline being pushed back twice. However, the authority of the council may yet be overruled. In Lancashire, the UK Government aim to quash the county council's ruling against fracking because they feel it is a matter of "nationally significant infrastructure".

Last month, a leaked private letter from Liz Truss, environment secretary, Amber Rudd, energy secretary, and Greg Clark, communities secretary to the chancellor George Osborne revealed that one of their "top priorities" is ensuring that environmental and planning provisions do not create barriers to gas exploration.

Mr Conlan added: "At every turn it appears the Government has stacked the odds against local people, leaving demonstrations one of our few remaining options we have to object."

Chris Parkin, Helmsley hotelier and former Ryedale District Councillor, said: "The fact the Ministers can override the planning process degrades local democracy to a depth hitherto unequalled."

Mr Hollinrake said that he had met with the protestors and had listened to their concerns regarding shale gas exploration. He said: "Shale gas should not be seen as a replacement for renewable energy, but as a replacement for dirty coal that is currently burnt in our power stations. In my view we should continue to invest in wind, solar power and biomass but also investigate the production of shale gas, as long as this is carried out in a sensitive and environmentally-friendly way.

"Through our new cross-party group for Shale Gas Regulation and Planning, I am pressing ministers to introduce new regulations to make sure our air and water quality is not affected.

"I am also campaigning for the introduction of clear guidelines in the National Planning Policy Framework to include minimum distances between well sites and from towns and villages."