Cuadrilla Receives Approvals

Cuadrilla Resources has been granted permission to expand its drilling activities for shale gas despite concerns from area residents and potential hazards to planes operating from Blackpool Airport.

But both Blackpool and Fylde Green Party and Blackpool Airport expressed concerns about the plans, with the airport filing an official objection to Lancashire County Council claiming the development off Anna's Road, off North Houses Lane in Westby, could prove "hazardous" to flights.

Paul Rankin, the airport director, said: "We find it potentially conflicts with national and international aerodrome safeguarding requirements, and it presents a hazard to the safe operation of aircraft in the vicinity of Blackpool Airport."

A condition of Cuadrilla's planning permission is it must carry out an "Instrument Landing System (ILS) computer simulation to ensure there will be no interference to the beam of Blackpool Airport's ILS Glide Slope" before the development can begin.

Cuadrilla is already drilling for shale gas on a site at Preese Hall, near Weeton. A statement from AJ Lucas, the Australian listed shareholder of Cuadrilla, said that drilling at the Preese Hall had been "very successful thus far".  READ MORE HERE

But Phil Mitchell, chairman of Blackpool and Fylde Green Party, said: "Apart from the risk to aircraft, Cuadrilla has shown no regard to rail passenger safety by locating the Preese Hall rig next to the busy railway line which runs between Blackpool North and Preston. I can't believe there is any need at all to risk public safety and the environment by including fracking in their tests.

"I spoke to 40 - 50 St Annes residents on Saturday and almost all were against Cuadrilla's planned activities."

However, Westby councillor Paul Rigby, who sits on both Fylde and Lancashire councils, said: "We have to find out what the resources are. If it's going to help in the long term I think we've all to go along with it."

Source: Blackpool Gazette