Fresh Legal Challenge against Fracking Decision

A legal challenge has been launched against the government's decision to approve fracking in Lancashire.

Last year, Communities Secretary Sajid Javid gave the go-ahead for shale-gas extraction at Cuadrilla's Preston New Road site at Little Plumpton.

But campaigner Gayzer Frackman claims the government failed to fully assess the impact of greenhouse gas emissions from the site in the next three years.

Mark Willers, who is representing Mr Frackman, also questioned "whether it was safe for the government to grant permission for fracking in the absence of a robust regulatory system."

Lancashire County Council originally refused permission to extract shale gas at the site, on the grounds of noise and traffic impact. Cuadrilla then appealed to the secretary of state who subsequently ruled in their favour.

Mr Frackman, from Blackpool, said:

"[The government] is simply putting corporate interests above safety, environmental concerns and the concerns of local communities."

A government spokesperson said it was "not appropriate" to comment at this time.

Cuadrilla began construction work at the site in January, and the location has been the scene of continued protests by anti-fracking campaigners.

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