FT: Sussex village of Balcombe is focal point of fracking opposition

The pretty West Sussex village of Balcombe, nestled in Britain’s stockbroker belt, is not a place you associate with protest. But that was before the frackers showed up.

Local people have been incensed since Cuadrilla Resources, the shale gas explorer, acquired an exploration licence for Balcombe in 2010. Cuadrilla has yet to frack a single well, but anger runs so high that getting to that stage will be a fraught process.

“If Cuadrilla tries to drill here, they’ll soon find they haven’t reckoned on the opposition,” says Vanessa Vine, a member of campaign group Frack Free Sussex. “People will take direct action.”  MORE