And they're off... InfraStrata finally leaves Woodburn Forest

The company behind the controversial exploratory oil drill at Woodburn Forest has finally left the site six months after it moved in.

InfraStrata moved the last of its machinery off the forest site yesterday. It was originally due to reinstate and exit the borehole site by August 8 but was granted two extensions to the deadline by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, which cited the July holidays and the wet weather for this decision.

The last of the machinery drove off the site yesterday, leaving a large stretch of bare earth in the midst of the trees. Local residents said the access path, a right of way which is popular with dog walkers but had been closed to the public while the work was being carried out, had been left in a mess and covered in mud.

InfraStrata was not required to apply for planning permission to drill a borehole at the forest site but instead carried out the work under permitted development rights.

The decision by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council to give the project the go-ahead is being challenged in the High Court later this month by a local resident.

In June the consortium led by InfraStrata said it was pulling out of the controversial project after no oil or gas were found.

Yesterday, protesters were celebrating the end to their hard-fought battle against the drilling operation, which was carried out close to a reservoir that supplies drinking water to hundreds of homes in Belfast and east Antrim.

It is estimated that the bill for policing the protests at the Carrickfergus forest has mounted to more than a million pounds.

Protesters Stop The Drill said: “This is a such a wonderful end to the week. Today Woodburn Forest was returned to the people.

“Without the pressure from the campaign and the Judicial Review date, we doubt Infrastrata would have completed this work especially given their record for missing deadlines.

“Today we are celebrating and we look forward to the replanting of the forest over the winter months.

“We'll be working to ensure that the local community and the children who were such a huge part of the campaign are part of the replanting of forest and we'll continue to ensure that this protected Antrim water catchment is protected for future generations.”

The group has called for the planting to include native trees that will encourage wildlife to return.

“We want the forest to be protected as it should have been since it was vested for the people in 1899,” a spokesperson said.

“ We'd like the children of the forest and local schools to be allowed to help replant.”

Earlier this summer, environment minister Michelle McIlveen insisted she had no power to allow a Stop The Drill representative to monitor the clean-up of Woodburn Forest.

Campaigners have raised concerns over potential future contamination of the water catchment and have questioned where material excavated from the site has been sent.