Shale gas planning applications will be fast-tracked through a new, dedicated planning process, under new measures announced today by the Government which include plans for a communities sovereign wealth fund.

Energy Secretary Amber Rudd and Communities Secretary Greg Clark announced plans aimed at ensuring local people have a strong say over the development of shale exploration in their area – but also ensuring that communities and the industry benefit from a swift process for developing safe and suitable new sites.

Today’s measures include identifying councils that repeatedly fail to determine oil and gas applications within the 16 week statutory timeframe, with subsequent applications potentially decided by the Communities Secretary.

Energy Secretary Amber Rudd commented:

“To ensure we get this industry up and running we can’t have a planning system that sees applications dragged out for months, or even years on end. Oversight by the Health and Safety Executive and the Environment Agency of shale developments makes our commitment to safety and the environment crystal clear. We now need, above all else, a system that delivers timely planning decisions and works effectively for local people and developers.”

Boosting the planning system for shale gas

The Government has already made clear shale is a national priority but Ministers now want to ensure shale applications “can’t be frustrated by slow and confused decision making amongst councils, which benefits no one.”

According to the Government, if planning applications for shale exploration developments take months or even years it can create uncertainty for communities and prevent the development of a potentially vital national industry.

Today’s measures will mean Ministers will consider calling in any application for shale exploration, and will recover appeals on a case-by-case basis.

Communities Secretary Greg Clark said:

“There is huge potential right across the country for safe and sustainable use of shale gas, to provide a clean long term energy source and create British jobs and growth.”

“People’s safety and the environment will remain paramount and communities will always be involved in planning applications but no one benefits from uncertainty caused by delays in planning decisions. By fast tracking any appropriate applications today’s changes will tackle potential hold ups in the system.”

The Government are keen to reassure that local communities will remain fully involved in planning decisions with any shale application – whether decided by councils or government.

The official statement says

“ As a quasi-judicial process planning applications will always be considered with due process and a fair hearing – but today’s measures will prevent the long delays that mean uncertainty both for business and for local residents.”

Communities sovereign wealth fund planned for shale gas

Today’s measures include:

• The Communities Secretary actively considering calling in on a case by case basis shale planning applications and considering recovering appeals;
• Identifying councils that repeatedly fail to determine oil and gas applications within the 16 week statutory timeframe requirement (unless applicants agree to a longer period).  Underperforming councils’ gas and oil planning applications could be determined by the Communities Secretary;
• Adding shale applications as a specific criterion for recovery of appeals, to ensure no application can ‘fall through the cracks’;
• Ensuring planning call ins and appeals involving shale applications are  prioritised by the Planning Inspectorate; and
• Taking forward work on revising permitted development rights for drilling boreholes for groundwater monitoring.
• The Government also believes that communities hosting shale gas developments should share in the financial returns they generate, and will be presenting proposals later in the year on the design of a new sovereign wealth fund.

Commenting on the news that planning applications for shale gas will be fast tracked by Government to help guarantee future fuel resources, CECA Chief Executive Alasdair Reisner said:

“The start of the 21st century saw increased concern of an energy shortage. CECA has long argued that the UK Government must commit to a long-term UK energy strategy which does not deter badly needed investment and today's announcement takes further steps towards this.

“We believe that effective management of shale gas extraction through the implementation of operational best practice, robustly enforced through regulation, has a key role to play in the energy mix of the future.”