UK’s Cuadrilla could be cleared to drill

UK’s shale gas player Cuadrilla Resources said the Lancashire County Council’s Planning Officers have recommended that the Councils’ Development Control Committee grant planning consent for the company’s application at Preston New Road. 

In January 2015, officers recommended refusal at Preston New Road only on grounds of night-time noise and Cuadrilla submitted additional information on mitigation measures, which was publicly consulted on, to further bring down noise levels well below limits set out in government guidance, the company said in a statement.

Cuadrilla noted that, as in January, the Planning Officer’s report is satisfied with all other aspects of the planning applications, in particular with regard to drilling and fracking.  These include Air Quality, Archaeology and cultural heritage, Greenhouse gas emissions, Community & socio-economics, Ecology, Hydrogeology & ground gas, Induced seismicity (including subsidence), Land Use, Landscape and visual amenity, Lighting, Resources and waste, Water resources and Public Health.

For the company’s application at Roseacre Wood it supplied additional information regarding traffic routes which Cuadrilla and its expert advisers believe addressed issues which were raised in the Officer’s report in January. Whilst Cuadrilla believes that its original proposed route was adequate, the alternative route suggested also met with all necessary guidelines in its view.

“We are disappointed that Officer’s do not support this in their negative recommendation today, however we are pleased to note that as with Preston New Road, they are satisfied with all other aspects of the Roseacre Wood planning applications,” the company said.

Cuadrilla said it will await the Councillors’ decisions on both these applications at the end of June.

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Image: Cuadrilla