Suzy Davies AM has called again for up-to-date planning guidance from the Welsh Government in light of recent fracking and exploration applications being made in the South Wales West region.
Following a public meeting in Cwmafan relating to such an application, the Assembly Member for South Wales West said: “We are likely to see more applications for permission to drill being made. Yet the Welsh Government guidance on which councils have to rely, when deciding to give planning permission or not, was not drawn up with fracking and related applications in mind.”
The Welsh Conservative AM went on to say: “Already we have seen cases, such as in the Vale of Glamorgan, where local authorities have said that they are not confident in applying existing planning rules to fracking and exploration applications.
“I have raised this with First Minister and the relevant minister more than once and the response is the same: no need for change. Welsh Government stubbornly refuses to consider something that would help local authorities and, in the long run, residents.
“We need to know why the Welsh Government is being so unhelpful to councils and instead leaving them in the dark when they are likely to be receiving increased numbers of applications.”
