FRACKING

On 19 May, the government published a Written Ministerial Statement https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2018-05-17/HCWS690/ on fracking, which includes a raft of policies that seek to force through fracking by curtailing the power of local authorities to oppose applications through the planning system. Most worryingly, the government plan to hold separate consultations on:

• Whether non-hydraulic fracturing shale exploration development should be treated as permitted development (PD); and,
• The criteria required to trigger the inclusion of shale production projects into the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects Regime (NSIP).

Taken together, these proposals would weaken the ability of Mineral Planning Authorities to determine locally applications for the exploration or fracking of shale gas and could serve as a mechanism to fast track fracking applications disregarding local democratic process and communities’ views. We support a halt on fracking, unless some very stringent criteria can be met. More information on the CPRE position is in our 2017 policy guidance note:http://www.cpre.org.uk/resources/policy-guidance-notes/item/4608-policy-guidance-note-shale-gas?utm_medium=email&utm_source=engagingnetworks&utm_campaign=E-circular+2018+May+30&utm_content=E-circular+2018+May+30

CPRE has responded with a soundbite http://www.cpre.org.uk/media-centre/sound-bites/item/4854-cpre-call-fracking-announcement-outright-assault-local-communities?utm_medium=email&utm_source=engagingnetworks&utm_campaign=E-circular+2018+May+30&utm_content=E-circular+2018+May+30 and are currently planning further campaign actions. Last week, our National Office met with a number of NGOs and campaigning organisations to find out how best we can collaborate to oppose these measures.

We have some exciting plans in the pipeline, including a large-scale petition with 38 Degrees asking for these two proposals to be dropped, which should be launched in the next week. You can find a summary policy briefing here: http://www.cpre.org.uk/resources/energy-and-waste/shale-gas/item/4866-cpre-briefing-response-written-ministerial-statement-fracking-may-2018?utm_medium=email&utm_source=engagingnetworks&utm_campaign=E-circular+2018+May+30&utm_content=E-circular+2018+May+30