Cuadrilla to appeal refusals of planning applications for shale gas sites

Cuadrilla has sought to conduct drilling, fracking and testing the flow of gas from up to four exploration wells at sites at Preston New Road and Roseacre Wood.

The company added that it would also be appealing the refusal of a separate planning application to install seismic and ground water monitoring stations around the proposed Preston New Road exploration site.

A similar planning application has been granted for monitoring works around the proposed Roseacre Wood exploration site. But Cuadrilla said it would also appeal against certain conditions imposed on this planning consent.

Cuadrilla highlighted how the county council’s planning officer had recommended approval of the Preston New Road exploration site planning application and claimed that the officer had been “very clear” that the proposals were acceptable on all environmental and planning grounds.

“This includes the officer’s conclusions that the proposals were acceptable in relation to noise and visual impacts, which were the reasons given for the refusal of the application by the Committee,” the company said.

It also noted that the monitoring applications for both Preston New Road and Roseacre Wood had been recommended for approval by the planning officer.

The planning officer had recommended refusal of the Roseacre Wood exploration site on traffic grounds and it was refused solely on those grounds. Cuadrilla said it would review the proposed traffic routing for Roseacre Wood in preparing its appeal.

Francis Egan, CEO of Cuadrilla, said: “We have given careful consideration to appeal the planning decisions taken by Lancashire County Council. This is a natural step in the democratic process for deciding any planning application.

“We recognise that onshore shale gas exploration still feels relatively new in the UK and we remain committed to engaging with local communities to reassure them that exploratory operations can and will be carried out safely and in an environmentally responsible way. I understand that some people would prefer that we did not appeal but I am confident that we will demonstrate to Lancashire and the UK that shale gas exploration and fracking is not only safe but represents a very real opportunity to create jobs, fuel businesses, heat UK homes and stimulate significant local economic growth.”

Cuadrilla said the monitoring works appeals would be submitted within the next week, while the shale gas exploration site appeals would follow “in due course”.