Government planning guidance on fracking, due to be published later this week, must protect communities and play its part in meeting UK climate targets, Friends of the Earth warned today. The environment charity also said the guidance must be subject to public consultation – as is normally the case for planning guidance.

Ministers are due to publish planning guidance for local authorities before Parliamentary summer recess, which begins on Friday. Friends of the Earth is concerned that the Government’s priority will be to fast-track the exploration and production of shale gas at the expense of the wellbeing of local people and the environment.

The environmental campaigning charity says planning guidance on fracking must ensure that:

•    UK commitments “to secure radical reductions in greenhouse gas emissions” – as set out in the National Planning Policy Framework 2012 - are not undermined; [note 3]

•    groundwater pollution is prevented [note 4, 5];

•    comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessments are conducted for all applications [note 6]

Friends of the Earth also says the Government’s proposed planning guidance on fracking must be subject to consultation to allow the public to give their views on it.

Friends of the Earth’s Planning Campaigner Naomi Luhde-Thompson said:

“The planning system should be used to safeguard the long-term interests of local people and the environment – this mustn’t be sacrificed simply to satisfy the Government's addiction to fossil fuels.

“The Government’s wild-eyed reverence for the new god of shale is completely misguided. It’s polluting and threatens communities’ quality of life, and there is plenty of evidence to show it won’t slash fuel bills.

“We need urgent action to tackle the energy and climate crisis we face, focusing on cutting energy waste and rapidly developing a power system based on renewables.”

ENDS

Notes to editors:

1.  Friends of the Earth has published an interactive map showing areas of the UK currently licensed and under consideration for licensing.

2.  A Friends of the Earth briefing on shale gas is available here.

3.  The National Planning Policy Framework 2012 (national planning guidance for England) says (paragraph 93) 'Planning plays a key role in helping shape places to secure radical reductions in greenhouse gas emissions,'

4.  The EU Water Framework Directive says that the presumption in relation to groundwater should broadly be that it should not be polluted at all – and takes what is essentially a precautionary approach to ensure this happens. It comprises a prohibition on direct discharges to groundwater, and (to cover indirect discharges) a requirement to monitor groundwater bodies so as to detect changes in chemical composition, and to reverse any anthropogenically induced upward pollution trend. Taken together, these should ensure the protection of groundwater from all contamination, according to the principle of minimum anthropogenic impact.

5.  The Groundwater Directive prohibits the input of “hazardous substances” into groundwater. 

6. Last week the Environment Committee of the European Parliament called for comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessments for all fracking applications.

7.  As well as the planning permission, developers currently need radioactive waste permits, groundwater permits and permits under the Mining Waste Directive, which are issued by the Environment Agency.