Councillors are set to decide in the next week whether to allow IGas to drill two exploratory wells
Nottinghamshire has today taken a step towards giving the green light to its first shale gas exploratory drilling project, after county council planning officers recommended a planning application from Island Gas (IGas) be approved.
The company lodged the planning application last year to drill two exploratory wells at the site of a former Cold War missile launch site off Springs Road near Doncaster.
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One well would be drilled vertically down to a depth of 3,500 metres and the other vertically to 4,350 metres then horizontally for up to 1,500 metres, with drilling of the wells lasting up to 33 weeks.
"After very careful review, planning officers have recommended to the Planning and Licensing Committee that the development is appropriate for the industrial site," said Sally Gill, planning manager for Nottinghamshire County Council, in a statement. "Island Gas has been able to demonstrate how they intend to make sure that the effects of the drilling can be effectively managed to make sure they do not become unacceptable to the local area and local community.
While the application does not include a request to frack at the site, IGas has said it plans to apply for permission to do so once the initial drilling the current application includes is completed.
Nottingham County Council has confirmed it has not yet received any planning applications to conduct fracking in the county.
The council said today it has undertaken "extensive consultation" on the application, with over 40 organisations and 2,600 individuals providing feedback on the application.
The next step is for Nottinghamshire County Councillors to consider whether to allow planning permission, with the debate set to be held in a week's time.
IGas has also submitted another planning application to Nottingham County Council for shale gas exploration at the Tinker Lane site in Torworth, though it would likewise need to submit another application to frack there.
Earlier this year, North Yorkshire council became the first UK council in five years to back fracking after councillors approved an application from UK firm Third Energy for a test site in the village of Kirby Misperton. However, environmental campaigners swiftly moved to try and block the decision, applying to the High Court for a judicial review.
Meanwhile, the government is set to decide in the next fortnight whether or not to accept an appeal from shale gas developer Cuadrilla against the decision last year by Lancashire County Council to turn down its planning application for two fracking sites.
Theresa May has so far shown few signs she plans to change the government's pro-fracking stance, after last month unveiling new proposals to give households direct cash handouts in areas where fracking takes place.
Proponents of fracking - including the government - say it can provide a secure domestic energy source and is lower carbon than other fossil fuels. However, detractors argue it can pose a threat to the local environment while also locking in a new generation of fossil fuel infrastructure at a time when the UK should be working to fully decarbonise its energy system.
A recent government survey showed that public support for fracking is at its lowest ever point since 2012, with just 19 per cent of respondents saying they support it compared to 31 per cent who opposed it.
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