New fracking sites

The latest tranche of fracking permits issued by the government will allow companies to frack under National Parks including the Peak District and the North York Moors, alongside Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs) and Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), Greenpeace analysis shows.

MPs vote to frack under National Parks – fracking to be allowed under World Heritage Sites and Areas of Outstanding National Beauty

Osborne’s doorstep

Constituencies of many current and former government ministers – such as George Osborne in Tatton and Oliver Letwin in Dorset West, as well as Nick Clegg (Sheffield Hallam), Ed Miliband (Doncaster North) and Andy Burnham (Leigh) – can also now be fracked.

A majority of George Osborne’s constituents in Tatton oppose fracking, according to a Greenpeace poll in 2013.

‘George Osborne might want to have a word with his constituents who could soon see fracking taking place in Tatton. They don’t buy the government’s arguments for fracking – and why should they?’

Hannah Martin, energy campaigner at Greenpeace

Fracking the landscape

The issuing of new permits comes just a day after a controversial Parliamentary vote to allow fracking under National Parks, AONBs, SSSIs, World Heritage Sites and other protected areas – and on the same day that the government announced 65% cuts to crucial funding for solar energy.

‘The government has just hailed the successes of the Paris Climate Summit as a historic agreement in the fight against climate change and the transition to a renewable energy future. And now they’re offering up some of the most outstanding landscapes in the UK for fracking.

‘It’s not just local residents who are shocked – people across the UK rightly see this as an irresponsible move which jeopardises our treasured countryside and jars with our climate commitments in Paris by looking to kick start a whole new fossil fuel industry in the UK.’