The UK Department of Communities and Local Government rules that Cuadrilla Resources can proceed with shale gas exploration, including hydraulic fracturing, at its Preston New Road site in Lancashire. The UK Department of Communities and Local Government said Thursday that it has upheld three appeals related to shale gas exploration at the Preston New Road and Roseacre Wood sites in Lancashire, after the local authority opted to block applications to hydraulically fracture (frack) wells at the sites in June 2015. The move means that fracking can go ahead at least at the Preston New Road site. Cuadrilla Resources appealed the decision soon after Lancashire County Council’s Development Control Committee rejected its applications to drill on the grounds that there would be too much noise and traffic. The LCC’s own planning officer at the time had recommended approval of the Preston New Road exploration site application as it was acceptable […]