Cuadrilla has been exploring shale gas options in Lancashire

A decision on whether to allow fracking in the countryside to the West of Preston will not be made until the summer.

Lancashire County Council has announced a further delay to the decision which had been due to be made in January.

Cuadrilla, the firm who wish to drill for shale gas, requested an extension to the planning process.

It wishes to frack at Preston New Road and Roseacre Wood and a decision on both these sites had been expected by Thursday 30 April.

A spokesman for the county council said: “The council has subsequently consulted upon the new information provided by Cuadrilla and planning officers must now review the feedback from the consultation period, and the details supplied by Cuadrilla, before preparing reports for a further meeting of the committee.”

A consultation period on the updated plans closed on Monday 17 April.

The date for the county council’s development control committee to make a decision is now Tuesday 30 June.

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