High Court hears challenge to Government decision allowing fracking

The High Court in Manchester will this week (15-17 March) hear a case brought by a local group against the Government’s decision to allow fracking in Fylde.

Preston New Road Action Group (PNRAG) is represented by law firm Leigh Day.

Lancashire County Council in June 2015 refused planning permission for Cuadrilla Bowland to use a site off Preston New Road for fracking.  

Cuadrilla Bowland appealed against this and following a public inquiry an Inspector recommended approval, which was confirmed by Communities Secretary Sajid Javid last October.

He later refused a request from PNRAG to reconsider this, and so the group applied for a statutory review of the decision under section 288 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

PNRAG has secured a protective costs order for this week’s hearing.

Leigh Day solicitor Rowan Smith said: “Our clients believe that the Government has made significant legal errors in overturning the council’s refusal of planning permission to allow fracking on the site.

“We will argue on behalf of our clients that the decision to allow fracking on the site appears to have been taken in breach of the council's development plan, as well as in breach of the correct planning law tests, and would therefore be unsafe and unsustainable for the local area.”

Mark Smulian