Business group’s dismay over fracking snub
LANCASHIRE County Council has refused to allow planning application for fracking at site in Little Plumpton.
In what will be widely seen as a major setback for the Governments and its hopes for a UK shale gas industry, nine councillors voted against and only three in favour of Cuadrilla Energy’s plans. Two councillors abstained.
Energy firm Cuadrilla had wanted to undertake exploratory drilling and fracking at Preston New Road, between Preston and Blackpool.
The council’s planning officers had recommended that the county council approve the application and allow Cuadrilla to drill up to four exploratory wells and pump down water, sand and chemicals to fracture layers of shale to mine trapped gas.
But the council rejected the application on grounds of visual impact and unacceptable noise.
The local authority had recommended that another site at Roseacre Wood should be turned down because of a “severe” increase in traffic of up to 50 lorry journeys each day. The Preston New Road site is by a main road, while Roseacre Wood is accessible only through country lanes.
North and Western Lancashire Chamber of Commerce chief executive Babs Murphy said: she hopes the decision is “not the death knell” for the shale gase sector in the county.
She said: “In turning down this proposal, councillors appear to have ruled with their hearts, rather than their heads, and ignored the reasoned arguments of those with genuine expertise in this industry.
“Our hope is that this decision will be appealed and that the appeal will be successful, otherwise what is certain is that fracking will go ahead elsewhere in the UK and Lancashire will miss out on thousands of jobs and massive economic benefits.”
The business group IoD North West said the no vote was a “missed opportunity” for Lancashire in terms of jobs and economic growth.
There was glee though for environmentalists. Friends of the Earth North West campaigner Furqan Naeem said: “In the teeth of massive pressure from Cuadrilla and Westminster, Lancashire’s brave county councillors have voted to protect their citizens and the local environment – the winners today are democracy and the people of Lancashire.
“Both Cuadrilla and the Government must respect Lancashire’s decision and not try to force unpopular fracking on these communities.”
Planning expert at Manchester law firm Pinsent Masons Robbie Owen said: “The decision to refuse planning permission at Preston New Road will be viewed as a considerable setback for shale gas exploration in England.
“It sends a further unhelpful signal to international investors at a time when the UK’s energy policy is in a state of flux.
“The events of recent weeks demonstrate a difficult relationship between localism on the one hand and the need to keep the lights on on the other.
“The next likely move will be an appeal to the Secretary of State, but the question for potential investors is whether the UK is simply becoming too difficult and unpredictable a place.”
