Shropshire Star: Government to rule on Shropshire gas drilling plans

Dart Energy is to hear directly from planning inspectors whether its plan to drill a single coal bed methane exploratory borehole in Dudleston, near Ellesmere, have been approved.

Shropshire Council’s north planning committee had said it was minded to refuse the plans at its meeting in October, leading to the council to ask the firm to provide more information about the scheme.

But Dart Energy says it wants a decision and says it believes it has provided enough information for a final decision to be made.

In a bid to speed up the process it has lodged an appeal with the government planning inspector on the grounds of non-determination by Shropshire Council. MORE