Chase should be 'protected' from fracking
A council boss has pledged to continue his fight to ensure fracking doesn't happen at Cannock Chase.
Councillor George Adamson, leader of Cannock Chase District Council, said that he believes Government plans were 'snuck through' last year that could eventually see the beauty spot opened up for fracking, but has pledged he will do whatever it takes to prevent that from happening.
A government committee meeting in March to confirm that fracking in areas of outstanding natural beauty, such as the chase, would only be banned if it was high volume.
This prompted concern from councillor Adamson, who has long voiced his opposition to any such plans for Cannock Chase.
Earlier this week, a report from scientist Professor John Underhill, of Heriot-Watt University, claimed that fracking for oil and gas in the UK may produce much less fuel – and profits – than has been mooted.
Councillor Adamson has used this to re-enforce his claim that fracking should not be allowed on Cannock Chase and said: “Leading scientists are now questioning whether the geology of fracking – the hard facts – actually add up.
“It is entirely likely that there is far less accessible shale gas than originally thought.
“The only way they will find out is by drilling exploratory wells deep into the landscape.
“Last year the Tories in Westminster snuck through changes that could see fracking on Cannock Chase in the future.
"I could not be more clear that Labour in Cannock Chase will continue to oppose fracking, exploratory drilling and anything that could disrupt the Chase, which should be protected for everyone to enjoy as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.”
Fracking involves injecting water at high pressure into shale formations, breaking the rock and allowing natural gas to flow out.
In 2016, more than 3,000 people signed a petition calling for any future fracking to be banned on Cannock Chase amid growing concerns over the controversial issue.
Concerns the popular visitor site could be targeted have been growing since the Government first approved proposals to allow fracking to extract shale gas below areas of outstanding natural beauty.
However, there is nothing set in stone to say Cannock will be a fracking site at any point in the future.
