Blackpool Gazette: New delay on fracking decision

Lancashire County Council has agreed with Cuadrilla to extend the time allowed to decide the planning applications for shale gas development to 30 April to allow for consultation on new information. It means planning officers will have more time to consider the energy company’s measures to cut down on noise at the proposed Preston New Road fracking site near Little Plumpton and noise and traffic issues at the Roseacre site.

The county council’s Development Control Committee decided last week to defer decisions on applications by Cuadrilla to drill, frack and test gas flows, plus associated separate applications for environmental monitoring at the two sites after the company asked them to consider new proposals to reduce the impact of noise and traffic, issues which had resulted in planning officers recommending refusal of the two planning permission applications just days ahead of a three day hearing at County Hall.

Following the officers’ recommendations, Cuadrilla had immediately come back with new measures and the decision was postponed on the morning of the hearing even though both supporters and opponents of fracking had spent time and effort preparing presentations.

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