Hydraulic Fracturing: Green Light At Last

Last week Energy and Climate Change Secretary Amber Rudd confirmed that Councils will be told that they must rule on all hydraulic fracturing planning applications within the mandatory 16-week deadline, or face the possibility of losing the right to decide all future similar applications in that area.  As a follow up, Communities Minister Greg Clark will be issuing guidance to planning authorities, advising planning officers on how to deal with such applications.

Councils will no doubt be grateful that the matter is to a certain extent being 'taken out of their hands'. There has been some speculation in the press that decisions such as the Cuadrilla Preston Road refusal (where the application was thought likely to win on appeal) was in part at least motivated by the Council's desire to avoid any difficulties caused by protests and protestors.