A community group and an anti-fracking campaigner have lost their legal challenge against the Communities’ Secretary over the way he granted permission for fracking at a site in Lancashire.
Sir Ian Dove, sitting at the Royal Courts of Justice in London this morning dismissed the case by Preston New Road Action Group and Gayzer Frackmanng.
This clears the way for Cuadrilla to drill, frack and test up to four wells at its Preston New Road site at Little Plumpton near Blackpool.
It is the final stage in the company’s planning battle, which began in June 2015, when Lancashire County Council refused permission for the site because of its impact on noise and visual amenity.
The Communities Secretary, Sajid Javid, granted planning consent in October last year, following the recommendation off the inspector at a 19-day public inquiry.
Preston New Road Action Group challenged the decision, saying Mr Javid had misunderstood or misapplied local and national planning policy in approving the fracking scheme.
Campaigner, Gayzer Frackman, from Lytham, argued that the minister’s decision failed to consider climate change and gaps in regulations to protect public health.
Cuadrilla began site work at Preston New Road on 5 January 2017 and is expected to begin drilling during the three months between April and June 2017.
Another Cuadrilla site, at Roseacre Wood, was also refused permission by the council and is the subject of a separate legal challenge. Mr Javid said he was minded to grant approval for this site, despite the planning inspector’s recommendation to refuse because of its impact on highway safety.
The minister said he would reopen the public inquiry to give Cuadrilla another chance to explain how it could resolve traffic problems. That decision has been challenged by Roseacre resident, Jules Burton. A court hearing is expected in the summer.
More details and reaction to the ruling soon on DrillOrDrop
DrillOrDrop reports from the court hearings
Report from morning session, Day 1: Cuadrilla’s Lancs shale gas exploration plans were “production in disguise” – High Court told
Report from afternoon session, Day 1: Shale gas regulation is not “up to scratch” and Cuadrilla fracking permission should not have been granted
Report from Day 2: Government lawyers defend decision to give planning consent to Cuadrilla fracking plans
Categories: Legal
DRILL OR DROP? 
So with all the traffic problems as a result of the site that wasn’t deemed a problem they are going to give up on the one where there were assessed to be problems? I doubt it
Protestor inflicted traffic problems at PNR. No protestors, no Pole, no problems….
No fracking, No traffic problems, no protesters, no policing, no problem.
So its No, No, No, No, No……
What is it about the word NO you don’t understand?
So many NO NO NO NO THAT I don’t know which NO of your NO is a real NO or a NO NO or a NO NO NO. So No I don’t understand which NO you meant NO.
Ha ha! Why all of them of course! Nein, Nada, Non, Nix, Nyet, Nowt, Nuffin difficult about that is there? No?
I predict a derivative response, I can smell it in the methane generated on top of the chicken coupe?
Nein Nein Nei. Lol. I am a derivative trader.
Derivatives and futures, fascinating concepts of economic gambling insanity, if ever there was a case for economic fraud, fabrication and exploitation that perverts the economic well being of the whole planet, it has been derivatives and futures that have plunged this planet into debt to the amount of 286% Gross Planetary Debt to Gross Domestic Product
http://www.globalresearch.ca/the-bankruptcy-of-the-planet-accelerates-24-nations-are-currently-facing-a-debt-crisis/5463032
Rubbish. The police engineer the situation unnecessarily in an attempt to antagonise other road users. Only yesterday the road was blocked by police vans for 20 minutes to allow wagons to reverse out from a farm entrance rather than the site entrance. Both reversing out and using that entrance are totally against the highway authorities rules. At the time there were no more than a handful of protestors there. This was definitely a tactic which we’ve sadly observed time and time again. The police acting as Cuadrilla’s private security has escalated to a ridiculous pitch since Cuadrilla went direct to the government to ask them to ‘ramp up the security.’ The opportunity for peaceful protest, which is a human right, is being totally denied by the police on the pretext of ‘keeping people safe’ whilst at the same time they are pushing pensioners to the ground, causing serious injuries requiring hospital treatment, pushing people into the path of oncoming traffic, kettling people for no reason and lowest of the low, seriously injuring a peaceful young man in a wheelchair.
Paul-yes indeed. Ask most UK house-holders what two of their major monthly costs are and most will include gas and petrol/diesel. Ask them if they would like more control over those costs, or even a reduction, and they will knock you down in the stampede. Voters are fed up with “let’s kick the can down the road” because a decision is complex. They want politicians-national and local-who will get things done. Try getting any decision before the May elections and it proves my point that much improvement is required!
You are just SO right ON! and so cocky about it too!
Yes! Voters are scrambling all over themselves for a future like the gas loving Texans have. Because lower prices are worth this: (happening everywhere there is horizontal drilling)
http://www.ernstversusencana.ca/texas-scientists-link-fracking-to-methane-contamination-and-explosion-of-cody-murrays-water-well/
I’m one who says little as i don’t want to be drawn into unnecessary or biased conversations but if you are for or against fracking, local elections are close. Contact each candidate, ask them about their stance on the matter. If their view is different from yours, simply tell them they’ve lost a vote. Simples.
With all of this thats going on around the World & only 30% Clean Water Left worldwide….it appears as though No 1 will have clean pure natural water without Being a Millionaire. Do any of you realize it can take up to 16 million gallons of water for Each Well Per Day to operate ? Or All of the Chemicals they use when they force it under the water table via a forced injection well ? And it Always raises back up…in the USA Oil companies claim lines are monitored via hi-tech equipment. 😂😂😂Ask North Dakota how thats working..they have Huge Slills yearly. And once Oils spilled even the Oil Companies cite they only have a Possible Half Recovery rate..the rest leeches into the water table & the lands unusable for farming. They use flouride to process the water used for baby formula & public use in the USA. DO You know whats in your bottled water ? Where will this leave All wildlife if the remainder of the worlds water supply is polluted ? Already in the USA we have salmon contaminated with radiation from Fukishima. People need to Wake Up All Over the World. The Oil Companies care about Money not US. Google search fracked injection wells in Colorado or Texas. Do you want your beautiful company looking like that ?