Fracking: an important victory but the fight goes on

Brenda Pollack

05 September 2013

I've just got back from leave and found out that Cuadrilla withdrew its planning application to extend shale oil exploration near Balcombe for another six months.

The move follows nearly 2,000 objections to the application by the public. Friends of the Earth raised legal and planning concerns, including issues about the extent of the horizontal drilling the company planned. 

Cuadrilla now say they will provide details of where this will take place. We also argued that a whole new application was required, not just amendments to the existing permit. It looks like this will happen too.

Obviously we don't know what has gone on behind the scenes (although we have requested some information to find out), but it looks very much like the council and Cuadrilla have conceded our points and they've had to go back to the drawing board.

But whilst we have won this battle, the fight continues. 

Friends of the Earth has written to West Sussex County Council following concerns that fracking firm Cuadrilla may be drilling near Balcombe in breach of its existing planning permission, which doesn't allow horizontal drilling beyond the boundaries of the surface site.

Meanwhile it looks like the Government is continuing to bend over backwards to encourage shale oil and gas exploration. It has published new draft planning regulations which include removing the duty to notify people under whose land developers propose to drill.

Your letters and voices have counted so far. Now we need you to lobby the Government to tell them this just isn't right.