Fracking to be ‘fast-tracked’

Under the new guidelines, local councils must determine applications within the current 16-week statutory timeframe. Thereafter, subsequent applications could potentially be decided by the communities secretary.

“By fast-tracking any appropriate applications, today’s changes will tackle potential hold-ups in the system,” Clark said. 

To ensure we get this industry up and running we can’t have a planning system that sees applications dragged out for months

Energy and climate change secretary Amber Rudd

According to the government, local communities will remain fully involved in planning decisions with any shale application – whether decided by councils or government.

However, the government has also made it clear that “shale is a national priority” – suggesting its development will help to move the UK to a low-carbon economy.

Hydraulic fracturing (fracking) is a process in which fossil fuel reserves found in shale rock formations beneath the earth’s surface are extracted using a combination of drilling equipment, water and, typically, sand and additives. 

“To ensure we get this industry up and running we can’t have a planning system that sees applications dragged out for months, or even years on end,” Rudd said.

“We now need, above all else, a system that delivers timely planning decisions and works effectively for local people and developers,” she added.

Rudd said the new shale planning process would be overseen by the Health and Safety Executive and the Environmental Agency to ensure the government’s commitment to safety and the environment is “crystal clear”.

Industry groups have been quick to praise today’s announcement – with some echoing the government’s plea for shale development to be treated as a national priority.

UK Onshore Oil and Gas chief executive Ken Cronin said: “The onshore oil and gas industry is committed to consulting and working with local communities to develop the gas resources that this country desperately needs to access.

“However, recent experience has shown that the planning process is unwieldy and the time taken for planning decisions has soared from three months to over a year, causing delay and cost and this is not the interests of local people, the industry, or indeed the British people.”

Likewise, Paul Raynes, director of policy at manufacturers’ organisation EEF, said today’s announcement makes clear the government’s intention to “hit the ground running” and get the UK shale industry moving.

“It has been obvious for quite some time that the regulatory quagmire that industry had to wade through was acting as a wholly unnecessary brake on development in the sector,” Raynes said.

“Desperately needed reform was frustratingly slow during the last parliament, but the new government has grasped the nettle and shown it is serious about the issue,” he said.

Chemicals firm Ineos, who last year bought a number of shale gas development licences, has also welcomed today’s announcement, saying it ”should help start breaking the log jam that has developed in some areas of the country”.

These changes are being made because the Government doesn’t agree with the democratic decisions councils have been making

FoE planning adviser Naomi Luhde-Thompson

Though welcoming the news, the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) said government must ensure local authorities are equipped to deal with decision making on large energy infrastructure and engineering projects.

“Hydraulic fracking is not a ‘silver bullet’, but developing projects in the UK could play a part in securing the country’s future energy demands, this is combined with the opportunities for local communities to create a multi-generational industry that promotes engineering skills and regional economic growth,” said Jenifer Baxter, head of energy and environment at the IMechE.

“It is vital that industry, government and academia work together to help inform the public about the precautions being taken to ensure that fracking projects are safe,” Baxter said.

Environmental groups say the new measures go against the wishes of local people and councils and effectively bulldoze fracking applications through the planning system.

Friends of the Earth (FoE) planning adviser Naomi Luhde-Thompson said: “Local authorities have been following the rules. These changes are being made because the Government doesn’t agree with the democratic decisions councils have been making.”

During June, for instance, Lancashire County Council refused shale gas firm Cuadrilla planning permission to develop shale gas sites at two seperate locations in Blackpool.

“Rather than riding roughshod over local democracy to suit the interests of a dirty industry, ministers should champion real solutions to the energy challenges we face, such as boosting the UK’s huge renewable power potential and cutting energy waste,” Luhde-Thompson said.

What’s more, in response to decisions made on renewables policy, Richard Kirkman, the UK technical director of water and waste company Veolia, recently said: “We appear to be entering another Dark Age where we will return to total fossil fuel reliance, power cuts, low confidence in UK investment, opening the door for fracking activities to maintain energy security.”

Meanwhile, former energy and climate change secretary Ed Davey, who was replaced by Rudd after May’s general election, took to social media this morning to criticise the government’s announcement.