Herbert Smith Freehills advises Cuadrilla on planning appeal win for Grange Hill exploration site

International law firm Herbert Smith Freehills has advised Cuadrilla Resources ('Cuadrilla') on its successful appeal against Lancashire County Council's refusal to grant planning permission for proposed monitoring and site restoration works at its Grange Hill shale exploration site near Singleton, Lancashire. This is the first appeal win involving works at a shale exploration site to have been made following the Government's Shale Gas and Oil Policy Statement 2015.  

International law firm Herbert Smith Freehills has advised Cuadrilla Resources ('Cuadrilla') on its successful appeal against Lancashire County Council's refusal to grant planning permission for proposed monitoring and site restoration works at its Grange Hill shale exploration site near Singleton, Lancashire. This is the first appeal win involving works at a shale exploration site to have been made following the Government's Shale Gas and Oil Policy Statement 2015. 

The appeal, which was determined by a Planning Inspector on behalf of the Secretary of State, resulted in the grant of planning permission to carry out seismic and pressure monitoring at the Grange Hill well. The proposals do not involve any hydraulic fracturing and the site will subsequently be restored to its original “Greenfield” status.

The original planning application was turned down by Lancashire County Council’s Development Control Committee in May last year, contrary to the recommendation of the Council Planning Officer, on the grounds that there would be a detrimental impact on the local landscape. The appeal decision confirmed there will be no significant impact to the landscape.

The Herbert Smith Freehills Planning team was led by partner Catherine Howard, senior associate Charlotte Dyer and associate (Australia) Emily Sykes.

Catherine Howard commented: "This appeal win is a first – it's a great outcome for Cuadrilla and a positive step for the future of the shale gas industry in the UK."

Herbert Smith Freehills is also advising Cuadrilla on four other appeals for proposed shale gas exploration works at Preston New Road and Roseacre Wood in Lancashire and related monitoring works. These appeals are being examined by a Planning Inspector at a conjoined inquiry that is currently on-going and will be decided by the Secretary of State following his recovery of these appeals in November last year.  

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