This week I met with the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Greg Clark, to make it absolutely clear that I would oppose any changes to shale gas exploration which might weaken protections to the landscape and environment. My concerns had been raised following new proposals in our general election manifesto to change the planning status and environmental oversight. In a discussion with Mr Clark about the government’s future plans for shale gas, I expressed my serious reservations about the proposed changes of policy to designate non-fracking drilling as permitted development and moving the decision making from local authorities to the National Planning Regime without some of the clear guidelines and restrictions on development detailed in the North Yorkshire County Council Draft Minerals and Waste Plan. I also raised similar concerns about the establishment of a new Shale Gas Environmental Regulator.
After the decision to go ahead with fracking was made in Parliament by a majority of 250 in January 2015, I successfully helped campaign to prohibit fracking from wells that are drilled in the surface of protected areas such as National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs). My position on this has not changed. Likewise, I will continue to ensure that applications immediately outside of specified protected areas will also be subject to the same restrictions and covered under our current planning laws which protect the visual impact of protected areas.
I remain supportive of shale gas extraction so long as regulations are in place to protect both our environment and our countryside. If this does not happen, then I will call for a moratorium.