Moving decisions on fracking plans to a national level contradicts the principles of localism and would probably exacerbate mistrust between communities and the industry, MPs said today.
Fracking Week in Parliament 2 The planning application by Third Energy to frack at Kirby Misperton cost North Yorkshire County Council more than £500,000, MPs were told this week.
The shale gas industry and its opponents had a rare moment of agreement in a committee room in Westminster this week.
An independent review has made “major criticisms” of Europa’s application for an environmental permit for oil drilling plans near Leith Hill in Surrey.
Mark Robinson, Campaigns and Policy Assistant at Campaign to Protect Rural England, argues that radical changes are needed to national planning policy to prevent the threat of fracking to the countryside and the communities who live and enjoy it.
Local councils in England are to be required to develop policies that “facilitate” onshore oil and gas developments, under revised government guidelines.
A committee of MPs is to examine whether planning applications for fracking in England should be decided by a government minister, rather than local councils.
Surrey County Council is meeting the oil and gas company, Angus Energy, this week to discuss a side-track well at Brockham, amid allegations that it was drilled without planning permission.
This round-up looks at 44 recent studies about fracking published since late March 2016. Please let us know if we’ve missed a report you think should be included. Click here to get in touch.
The Cuadrilla public inquiry which closed this week defined the arguments that are likely to be rehearsed across the country when new fracking applications are decided.
DRILL OR DROP? 