Council Agrees to Defer

LCC decision delayed for two months or so. That's a win for Cuadrilla who will now have time to work with the planners so that they can demonstrate plans that meet the benchmarks set for them.

Will it matter? The way that Cuadrilla spun the story in the press made it sound like they weren't really told what these benchmarks (noise/traffic) were in the first place. That leads one to believe that the planners were looking for an excuse to reject the application.

Now the planners are in a bit of a bind. They've already publicly declared that fracking can be carried on safely with respect to human health and the environment. We know that Cuadrilla can meet the noise requirements because they can always stop drilling at night (though this is less than optimal of course). That alone would seem to win them approval at the Preston New Road site. The truck traffic issue at Roseacre should also be manageable (if they're willing to spend enough). So, Cuadrilla will ultimately pass these tests, forcing the planners to show their hand.

Planners would need to revise their report and give an all clear to proceed if they stick to the benchmarks laid out in the original ruling. Then again, we cannot count on the planners issuing a rational decision. If politics prevail, and the planners change the benchmarks again, the entire process will begin to look quite farcical. I would imagine that Cameron's people would then get involved and push for a speedy appeal process.

Regardless, the extension seems to be good news for Cuadrilla. Let's hope the planners hold themselves to a certain standard.