Drilling wells disguised as trees? Lorries disguised as dragon flies? Has anyone seen a sensitively-located coal mine or a sensitively-located car plant?

Full story HERE

… About half the UK is open for licensing, including parts of National Parks. But applications there will only be accepted in “exceptional circumstances and in the public interest”, said the government. The same rules apply for the Broads, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and World Heritage Sites. …

Unfortunately, we are in a district where our council refused to consider the creation of a new national park alongside Dorset as it meant they would lose control of planning.

Also interesting how organisations like the National Trust have interpreted it as a safeguard and not what it is: a loophole. Councils will use “economic growth” as the reason to allow it – rather like the NPPF uses the word to justify housing on AONBs and Green Belts.

If the Coalition had NOT wanted fracking in these areas, they would have explicitly banned it.