ALARM over fracking is growing as protests against the controversial energy-yielding technique continue close to East Surrey's border.
This week the Prime Minister urged the country to back the technique, which has been hailed as the answer to our appetite for fuel.
But in Balcombe in West Sussex, protests against exploratory oil and gas drilling by energy company Cuadrilla Resources are now entering their third week.
The same firm has a licence to drill in Lingfield and Bletchingley in Tandridge district. Other firms also hold oil or gas drilling licences across the southern part of the Reigate and Banstead borough. No fracking could go ahead without additional licences, but campaigners argue the fight against fracking in Balcombe will set a crucial precedent.
Fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, uses high pressure liquids to break open rocks deep under ground to release gas. Supporters say it could release hundreds of years' of supplies, but campaigners argue it causes contamination and earth tremors.
Reigate and Banstead borough's Green Party activists showed their support by joining the Balcombe protest on Sunday.
Sarah Finch, councillor for Redhill East, said: "Fracking poses serious environmental risks, including air and soil pollution, and threatens already overstretched water resources.
"Shale oil and gas exploration is in an early stage but licences have been granted across Surrey so it's likely that industrial sites will pop up throughout the area, bringing a huge increase in heavy goods traffic as drilling materials, water, chemicals, waste and the extracted gas or oil are transported to and from the sites."
However Cuadrilla says it currently has no plans to commence fracking and no other applications for the technique have yet been made.
Godstone resident Erica Sosna has also been protesting at Balcombe.
"The consequences of fracking for a populated area of outstanding natural beauty are potentially devastating and irreversible," said the 34-year-old.
"I feel like Balcombe is the epicentre of the decision. If it goes ahead in Balcombe it will be much harder to stop once it has started."
But not everyone is opposed.
Writing in the Daily Telegraph this week, David Cameron urged the country to "get behind fracking".
He said it would create tens of thousands of jobs, reduce energy bills, and cause minimal landscape impact.
He allayed safety fears, adding: "There is no reason why the process should cause contamination of water supplies or other environmental damage, if properly regulated".
Neither East Surrey MP Sam Gymiah or Reigate MP Crispin Blunt were available for comment.
