Shropshire campaigners seek new anti-fracking power

Amber Rudd, the new energy secretary, has announced that residents will be able to block future onshore windfarms under new measures to be fast tracked into law. The legislation would mean consent for new windfarms would have to be given by a local planning authority.

Now campaigners who are fighting plans to drill a temporary coal-bed methane exploration borehole near Ellesmere say the same principle should apply for other schemes.

Chris Hesketh, member of campaign group Frack Free Dudleston, said: "It is very interesting the way that one form of energy is to be subject to local control, whereas another form of energy is receiving maximum Government backing.

"During the House of Lords debate on the Infrastructure Bill in January, Amber Rudd stated that the Government would like to take decisions on planning applications for fracking test drills out of the hands of local authorities.

"When asked what form of energy people would like to have within two miles of their house, most people indicate that they are happy with solar, second is wind and then a distant third is fracking with a significant majority of the population being against it. Local opinion should be applied fairly to all options.

"Fracking is proven to be seriously damaging to the health and wealth of the people nearby and yet the compensation goes to the council."

He said energy supply is a project of national importance and the Government should be setting out a clear strategy.

"The country is predicted to be running short of electricity by 2018 and onshore wind has the potential to make a significant contribution within that timeframe," he said.

"The Government is turning people against a potentially valuable source of energy which makes no sense from a strategy perspective.

"By contrast fracking is comparatively expensive and is predicted to require until around 2030 to reach meaningful production volumes.

"Add into that the compensation that ought to be being paid directly to everyone living within two miles of each well and the industry becomes economically futile."

Ms Rudd said now that there was a Conservative majority, the Government would be to press ahead with the shale gas extraction.

Ms Rudd said: "I believe we will be able to deliver shale, as we have always wanted to do, in a safe but beneficial way."

A two-day hearing will be held at a later date to consider plans to drill for gas in Shropshire.

Mr Hesketh added: "The Dudleston appeal is unlikely to be influenced by the strengthening Government stance on fracking"