Environmental campaigners and community groups have welcomed this morning’s decision by Lancashire County Council to refuse more time for restoration of a controversial fracking site.

But they called for swift action to return the site near Blackpool to agriculture.

Members of the Reform UK-led council voted against a two-year extension of planning permission at the Preston New Road site by nine votes to nil.

The operator, Cuadrilla, failed to meet the original restoration deadline of April 2023, and an extension until June 2025.

Operations at Preston New Road from 2017-2019 attracted almost daily protests and caused multiple small earthquakes, often felt across the Fylde region.

Planning officers recommended refusal of the latest request for an extension, saying it would not comply with local and national policy to restore sites at the earliest opportunity.

Cuadrilla did not attend this morning’s meeting. DrillOrDrop has invited the company to comment on the decision.

Call for enforcement

Helen Rimmer, north-west England regional campaigner for Friends of the Earth, said:

“We’re pleased the council has rejected Cuadrilla’s attempt to delay clean-up of this former fracking site – but it should have been forced to restore this land to agricultural use long ago.

“This sorry saga is a further warning of the threat posed by fracking. It blights our countryside, triggers earthquakes and would do nothing to bring down UK energy bills and create good local jobs. No wonder it remains deeply unpopular with communities across the country.

“Lancashire County Council must now take enforcement action and instruct Cuadrilla to restore the site immediately, in accordance with monitoring requirements.”

“Nail in the coffin of fracking”

John Powney, of Ribble Estuary Against Fracking, said:

“An excellent result for the people of Lancashire and another nail in the coffin of an industry nobody wants. We were grateful to all the councillors who stood in strong support for the local people and those who berated the actions of Cuadrilla.”

“People power prevailed”

Nick Danby, of Frack Free Lancashire, said:

“We are delighted about today’s LCC decision to endorse the recommendations of the planning officers.

“The decision was unanimous and no-one spoke in favour of a further extension for Cuadrilla at the Preston New Road fracking site.

“This is obviously a very significant development but we will continue to keep an eye on the site. The time to really celebrate will be when the site has been fully restored to the farmland that it once was.

“This has been a long and sometimes dispiriting struggle to force Cuadrilla to meet their obligations.

“Today was the day that people power finally prevailed over commercial interest.”

“Community wants an end to Cuadrilla at Preston New Road”

Susan Holliday, from Preston New Road Action Group, said

“It is great news that LCC have rejected the request for a two-year extension.

“It will be interesting to see what actions are now taken to ensure that the site is restored as quickly as possible. The local community just want an end to Cuadrilla being at Preston New Road.”

Cross-party agreement

Green Party county councillor, Gina Dowding, said:

“It’s a huge relief that Cuadrilla have been refused this additional time extension to restore the Preston New Road site. They had already been granted an additional two years, they failed again to adhere to the conditions of the planning consent and restore the site. They really must get on with it now.

“It was also good to see cross-party agreement among members of the development control committee in supporting the officers’ recommendation. Reform councillors in Lancashire do appear to be listening to residents, rather than their national leaders.

“Numerous speeches from local residents highlighted the terrible impact the fracking industry has had on their lives, the environment, our air and water, and the local landscape, since Cuadrilla rocked up over a decade ago.

“It was recognised that the County Council had failed to take adequate enforcement action in the past, and officers were asked to do all they can to be more proactive in ensuring the company complies with its mandated obligations.”