Cuadrilla moves closer to fracking green light in Lancs

LICHFIELD energy firm Cuadrilla has overcome another obstacle in its attempt to gain approval for a fracking operation in the North West.

Fracking should be allowed at one of two sites on the Fylde coast in Lancashire, a report from Lancashire County Council has recommended.

The council was responding to an application by Cuadrilla to extract shale gas at Little Plumpton and Roseacre Wood.

The application for Little Plumpton has been recommended for approval. Roseacre Wood has been recommended for refusal.

The final decisions will be taken by councillors next week.

The recommendation of approval is for test fracking at the site. If Cuadrilla intends to undertake commercial fracking it would require a separate application.

The BBC reports that if approved it would be the first time a council has backed an application to frack, drill and test flow the gas and the first fracking since tests near Blackpool were deemed the “likely cause” of earth tremors in 2011.

Fracking uses water and chemicals to release gas by fracturing of the shale bed.

Environmentalists argue this can cause water and air pollution, as well as earthquakes.