Campaigners against plans to frack at Roseacre Wood have expressed their disappointment over a High Court ruling against them.



A local resident has had a legal challenge against the government's decision to hold a second public enquiry into the plans thrown out by a judge.

Communities Secretary Sajid Javid has already said he's minded to approve the Cuadrilla's plans, despite permission being refused at county council level.

Lancashire County Council had refused planning permission for Roseacre Wood on highway safety grounds.

The Roseacre Awareness Group, which opposed Cuadrilla’s plans to drill, frack and test up to four wells at Roseacre Wood, said: said: ''We believed Mr Burton had sufficient and strong grounds for a legal challenge. After all, Lancashire County Council’s Highway’s Officer, LCC Planning Officer, LCC Development Control Committee and an independent Planning Inspector all determined the Roseacre application should be rejected on traffic and road safety grounds.

''This is a very rural location whose country lanes are used by many vulnerable road users, such as cyclists, equestrians and pedestrians, and a significant increase in large industrial traffic will pose a significant risk of serious harm to those road users. We totally agree with LCC that the application should be rejected.

''How Sajid Javid can be ‘minded’ to approve the application if Cuadrilla can mitigate traffic issues beggars belief. Cuadrilla have had over three years to overcome any traffic problems and have consistently failed to do

''To re-open the Public Inquiry poses an unnecessary burden (both in time and expense) on not only LCC and the tax payer but ourselves and other parties such as our parish council, as we will now have to represent all our evidence, and prepare new evidence, to prove once again that Roseacre Wood is not a suitable site for an industrial development of this nature.

''I am sure Mr Burton will be very disappointed with this news as are we. I am sure he will be seeking further legal advice.

''You can be reassured that Roseacre Awareness Group will expend every effort to fight this application in whatever way we can in order to protect our community from harm.''

Cuadrilla said they were aware of the ruling but didn't comment further.