Fracking could become as easy as building an extension

FRACKING could be as easy as building a conservatory after ministers unveiled plans to kick-start drilling for shale across England by removing the need for planning permission.

Greg Clark, the Business Secretary, said progress has been “disappointingly slow” in setting up fracking sites and announced measures to make it easier, including a consultation on whether fracking should be a permitted development like some types of home extension.

But environmental campaigners warned that the plans are “trampling over democracy to prop up this collapsing industry” and the Local Government Association said the plans will mean communities are ignored.

The change of planning law would make it much easier to set up a fracking site and could see a rapid expansion in exploratory drilling sites once the consultation is concluded next year.

In a statement yesterday, Mr Clark said there were potentially “substantial benefits from the safe and sustainable exploration and development” of onshore shale gas. “A potential new shale gas exploration and production sector in the shale basins of England could provide a new economic driver.

However, the Local Government Association has also warned the move could be bad for communities because they would not be able to block developments near their homes.

Judith Blake, the association’s environment spokesman, said: “It is good that the Government will provide additional funding and support to help councils deal with shale applications.

“However, we oppose any proposal for shale exploration to be allowed to bypass the locally democratic planning system through permitted development or national planning inspectors.

“Local planning procedure exists for a reason.”