Shropshire gas drilling plans to be heard at public inquiry

The procedure dealing with an appeal to operate an exploratory borehole for coal-bed methane gas in Dudleston Heath, near Ellesmere, has been upgraded from a two-day hearing to the highest level, a public inquiry.

It comes after multiple changes in the way it will be handled from the lowest grade using written representations, to a hearing and now to a public inquiry.

The latest grading will see it go through the most formal procedure where the plans will be discussed in more detail.

The story of the proposals to drill for gas near Ellesmere has been like a book with many twists and turns.

Now, at last, there is some clarity to the plot. The appeal over the drilling scheme is to go to a public inquiry.

Dart Energy got fed up with the time Shropshire Council was taking to make up its mind, and for a while it looked possible that the whole thing might have been dealt with by written representations.

Unless things change again – and given the history nothing can be taken for granted – there is now going to be a public inquiry in which interested parties can have their say.

Questions will be asked and those questions will then be answered – in public.

Whether you are for, against, or simply do not care, this surely has to be the most appropriate decision-making method.

This is not a fracking scheme – the idea is to drill an exploratory borehole for coal-bed methane gas – but if commercial quantities of gas were to be found during the scheme, then A would lead to B and the area would be on the road to a development which could have a significant impact on the surrounding area.

Let's have it out in the open now. It's the best way.

Planning inspectorate spokesman, Peter Rickett, said: "After reviewing the appeal documentation the Inspector felt it would be more appropriate to deal with appeal through an inquiry.

"A date for the inquiry will be agreed with the main parties. Other interested parties will be notified once a date has been agreed."

The proposal was put forward by Dart Energy last year to use the site in Ellesmere to operate an exploratory borehole to extract coal-bed methane (CBM) and insists it will not be extracting shale gas using the controversial method of fracking.

But the company launched an appeal over the length of time it took Shropshire Council to make a decision.

Dart Energy initially called on the planning inspectorate to hold the appeal through written representations.

But campaign group Frack Free Dudleston said it hoped it would go to a public inquiry, which planning inspectors accepted.

It was then downgraded it to a hearing, before the most recent move saw it once again settled on a public inquiry.

The inquiry will see the plans discussed in more detail and evidence from interested parties will be cross-examined.

Chris Hesketh, leader of the campaign group, said: "Clearly we are delighted that the inspectorate are taking the opinions of local people so seriously and by going back to inquiry there will now be a much greater chance to cross-examine the evidence.

"We have said all along that this is a complex decision as well as a contentious one.

"It is heartening to see the inspectorate taking careful note of what is being said and reaching their own conclusion that it is indeed complex.

"They are clearly not disregarding the points that we are raising and we remain confident about the strength of our case.

"We would encourage any other community that is seeking to defend their area against CBM or fracking to fully engage with the planning process in this way."

But Gordon Grant, a spokesman for Dart Energy, said that the plans had received no objections from statutory consultees and added that the plan "clearly establishes the operation would be carried out in an environmentally acceptable way".

The date and venue has not yet been set for the inquiry.