New planning rules for fracking gives government power to fast-track applications

The Department of Energy and Climate Change has announced that new planning processes will fast-track applications to explore for shale gas — but secretary of state Amber Rudd and energy minister Greg Clark insist that the new rules will still allow any concerns that local communities have about fracking will be taken into consideration.

The new rules reflect concerns that slow and confused decision making by councils holds up shale applications for too long, creating uncertainty locally and preventing the establishment of a UK shale gas industry, which the government believes is important for keeping gas prices low and ensuring security of supply.  “There is huge potential right across the country for safe and sustainable use of shale gas, to provide a clean long term energy source and create British jobs and growth,” Rudd said.

The new rules gives local authorities 16 weeks to make a decision on shale gas planning applications. If they don’t meet this deadline, the Communities Secretary can ‘call ‘in’ the application and make a decision unilaterally. This would be done on a case-by-case basis. Councils that repeatedly  fail to hit the 16-week deadline could have all shale applications referred to the Communities Secretary, again on a case-by-case basis, while appeals against shale applications could again be referred to the secretary of state.