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| A former Cuadrilla test drilling operation at Westby in Lancashire |
Consultation begins today on extra information submitted to Lancashire County Council (LCC) as part of Cuadrilla’s planning applications for shale gas development at Preston New Road at Little Plumpton (Application number LCC/2014/0096), and Roseacre Wood at Roseacre (Application number LCC/2014/0101). You can find the new information on the LCC website here.
How to have your say
Anyone who wishes to make representations should write to the county council at the Development Management Group, Lancashire County Council, County Hall, PO Box 100, Preston, PR1 0LD, by email to DevCon@lancashire.gov.uk by Friday 17 April 2015 or via the ‘Have your say’ section of the LCC website. All representations that have been received to date will still be taken into account.
Advice on the objection process can be found at http://frackfreelancashire.org.uk/. It’s not rocket science.
Demonstration planned
An anti fracking demonstration ‘Blow the whistle on fracking’ has been organised by Frack Free Lancashire for Wednesday 1 April, starting at 10am at Preston Flag Market
Background to the changes
In June 2014 the council received applications from Cuadrilla to drill, frack, and test gas flows, with associated separate applications for environmental monitoring, at Preston New Road (LCC/2014/0096) at Little Plumpton, and Roseacre Wood (LCC/2014/0101) at Roseacre.
In January 2015 the Development Control Committee decided to defer determination of the applications after Cuadrilla asked to submit further proposals intended to mitigate concerns raised by planning officers. See previous article: Lancs County Council defers fracking decision 8 weeks
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| Sir Philip Dilley |
The applications are accompanied by an Environmental Statement which has been produced as a result of an Environmental Impact Assessment. The statement has been prepared for Cuadrilla by their long time partners, Arup Associates. Last year David Cameron’s government appointed Sir Philip Dilley of Arup Associates to chair the Environment Agency. In our opinion he would have granted Cuadrilla’s Environmental permits if they had come written in tar on an asbestos sheet.
Cuadrilla submitted further and other information in November and December 2014 in relation to the Environmental Statement in accordance with Regulation 22(3) of the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2011.
Cuadrilla submitted further and other information in respect of noise, traffic, air quality and landscape in relation to the Environmental Statement in accordance with Regulation 22(3) of the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2011 in March 2015.
The further information for the Roseacre Wood site relates to noise, traffic ([1] and [2], air emissions and visual impact.
The extra information for the Preston New Road site relates to noise, air emissions and visual impact.
The information has been published on the council’s website here and made available at libraries in Lytham, St Annes, Ansdell and Kirkham, and at the offices of Fylde Borough Council in Lytham St Annes.
Following the consultation the council’s planners will assess the new information and responses to the consultation before making recommendations to the Development Control Committee.
Petition sites:
http://www.foe.co.uk/act/petition-stop-fracking-in-lancashire
https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/page/s/support-lancashire#petition