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Will Preston City Council cautiously accept fracking?

Posted on - 16th August, 2015 - 12:00pm | Author - | Posted in - Business, Politics, Preston News, Woodplumpton
Anti-Fracking demonstrators from across the UK gather in Preston the headquarters of Lancashire County Council. Councillors are debating whether to give the go-ahead to two applications to Frack in the County by energy firm Caudrilla

Anti-fracking demonstrators outside County Hall in June

Preston councillors are being asked to “cautiously accept” fracking in and around the city.

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A showdown has been set in the Town Hall as a report by the city’s environmental committee urges the council not to declare itself a frack-free city.

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The document is an investigation into the pros and cons of shale gas drilling in the Fylde – with two sites close to Preston at Preston New Road and Roseacre Wood.

The 37-page report, written between March 2013 and January 2014, urges Preston City Council to “promote the city as a potential regional and/or national administrative base for operators within the industry.”

Cuadrilla, who had tabled the plans to resume fracking at both sites, has indicated it will be moving its headquarters to Lancashire.

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The firm had both applications to frack rejected by Lancashire County Council in June and is appealing the decision.

Deputy leader of the city council, and the man responsible for planning and regulation, has already made his view clear.

Councillor John Swindells said: “There is absolutely no chance I will be voting to cautiously accept fracking.”

It is not known how the Conservative group will vote, although it recently suspended a young Tory member for his role in anti-fracking protests outside County Hall.

The government recently urged local authorities to fast-track planning applications for fracking in their areas.

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You can read the full city council report on fracking on the city council website.

The report is due to be discussed at the next full council meeting at Preston Town Hall from 2pm on Thursday 20 August.

What do you think about the fracking report? Do you support fracking or are you against? Let us know in the comments below

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