[UPDATE: For the subsequent government response to this consultation, please view this post.]
The government has published the following consultation, which runs for 14 weeks from 19/07/2018 until 25/10/2018:
Notes:
- The "Background to the consultation" section at the start of the above consultation document includes the following information:
- "The purpose of this consultation is to seek views on the principle of whether non-hydraulic fracturing shale gas exploration development should be granted planning permission through a permitted development right, and in particular the circumstances in which it would be appropriate. Any permitted development right would not apply to the appraisal and production operations of shale gas extraction.".
- "Further to this consultation, the Government will strengthen community engagement by consulting on whether developers should be required to conduct pre-application consultation prior to shale gas development. This consultation will be launched in Autumn 2018.".
Other sources of information:
- March 2015: Amendment to permitted development rights for drilling boreholes for groundwater monitoring for petroleum exploration - Technical Consultation (pdf) (link).
- Note: For more information about the above document, please view this post. - August 2015: Government press release - "Faster decision making on shale gas for economic growth and energy security" (link).
- August 2015: Guidance - "About shale gas and hydraulic fracturing (fracking)" (link).
- August 2015: Policy paper - "Shale gas and oil policy statement by DECC and DCLG" (link).
- August 2015: Amendment to permitted development rights for drilling boreholes for groundwater monitoring for petroleum exploration - Government response to the consultation and Invitation for views on further amendments to permitted development rights for petroleum exploration site investigation and monitoring (pdf) (link).
- Note: For more information about the above document, please view this post. - February 2016: Letter from DCLG to Chief Planning Officers (of MPAs) about shale gas applications (pdf) (link).
- December 2015: Further amendments to permitted development rights for petroleum exploration site investigation and monitoring - Government response to the consultation (pdf) (link).
- Note: For more information about the above document, please view this post. - March 2016: Explanatory Memorandum to SI 2016 No. 331 and SI 2016 No. 332 (pdf) (link).
- April 2016: SI 2016 No. 332 - The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) (Amendment) Order 2016 (pdf) (link).
- Note: For more information about the above document, please view this post.