UK fracking given go ahead despite Lancashire appeal

UK government given fracking go-ahead, overturning Lancashire county council’s rejection of a fracking site.

Horizontal fracking can go ahead, after Communities Secretary Sajid Javid approved plans at Cuadrilla’s Preston New Road site at Little Plumpton in Lancashire.

The landmark ruling for the UK shale gas industry has caused outrage from local groups, environmentalists and politicians. It marks a major step up in the scale of exploratory fracking in the UK, as it green lights four wells, compared to the single well approval for fracking in North Yorkshire earlier this year.

Cuadrialla submitted two planning applications to frack on the Flyde last year, both of which were rejected due to visual impact and noise. A month later, the company submitted an appeal, and on Thursday, the Communities Secretary said he had accepted the appeal for one of the sites.

A decision on the second site at Roseacre Wood has been deferred to give Cuadrilla more time to provide evidence on road traffic issues and to allow other parties to make further representations, with Mr Javid saying he was “minded” to grant planning permission at that site too.

Sajid Javid said: “Shale gas has the potential to power economic growth, support 64,000 jobs, and provide a new domestic energy source, making us less reliant on imports.

“We will take the big decisions that matter to the future of our country as we build an economy that works for everyone, not just the privileged few.”

Pat Davis, Chair of Preston New Road Action Group, a local anti-fracking group, said: “This is a sad day as it is clear to all that this government neither listens, nor can it be trusted, to do the right thing for local communities. It is deplorable that an industry that has been rejected on every level has inflicted itself on Preston New Road.”

The ruling by the government comes a day after the Paris climate agreement, which requires countries to effectively phase out fossil fuels entirely later this century.

 

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