Fracking go-ahead welcomed by UKIP MEP

North West MEP Paul Nuttall has welcomed the government’s go-ahead for fracking at a site in Lancashire.

Communities Secretary, Sajid Javid, has overruled local councillors and granted Cuadrilla permission to extract shale gas at a site at Little Plumpton. He has delayed a decision on a second site at the Roseacre Wood site.

The company’s plans were turned down by Lancashire county council and after an appeal a public inquiry was held and the planning inspector’s report was referred to the Communities Secretary.

“I congratulate Sajid Javid on approving Caudrilla’s plans as I believe that fracking has the potential to make a huge difference to our energy problems,” said Mr Nuttall, UKIP Euro-MP.

“Shale gas offers a much better energy source than ugly wind farms and solar panels and as the drilling takes underground it does not create massive industrial blight such as oil refineries.

“It is anticipated that energy prices, which can be crippling for the elderly and jobless, may well be halved, as happened in the USA, and that must surely we welcomed by all.

“The Caudrilla plans for the two Fylde sites at Little Plumpton and Roseacre Wood involve horizontal drilling rather than vertical drilling which is believed to have led to minor earthquakes near Blackpool.

“This method should avoid that possibility but I do understand concerns of local people about the affect on their environment. Reaching decisions on such important planning issues is very much a balancing exercise and I believe that for the Little Plumpton site the Communities Secretary has got it right.

“The fact that the decision on the second site has been delayed shows just how carefully the concerns of local people are being considered,” said Mr Nuttall.

Seismic surveys in West Lancs and Sefton signals first steps towards Fracking

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