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Fracking can only be allowed if 50% of locals agree - Fylde MP

UK Parliament Mark MenziesUK Parliament
Mark Menzies has previously said fracking is a "danger to the public"

Fracking should only be allowed to go ahead if "a minimum of 50% of people... actively give consent" in their local community, a Conservative MP has said.

The UK's only two shale gas wells are in Mark Menzies' Fylde constituency.

Cuadrilla's Preston New Road site is within his Lancashire seat. "People not households" must be consulted, he said.

Prime Minister Liz Truss has insisted fracking will only take place with "local consent", but did not fully explain how that would be defined.

Mr Menzies told BBC Radio Lancashire: "How do you define 'local'? How do you measure local consent?

"Whatever local criteria [are] used, for me, there needs to be a minimum of 50% of people - not households or anything like that - but actual people, actively giving consent.

"I think we need to work now to nail down a very clear definition."

Cuadrilla/PA Wire Cuadrilla hydraulic fracturing site at Preston New RoadCuadrilla/PA Wire
The wells at Preston New Road were due to be sealed, before regulators lifted an order to cap them

Mr Menzies added: "The message on fracking is 'thank you for the clarity yesterday, now make sure your government does the detailed work behind it'.

"The people that I represent want to know the details. They also want that ability to exercise their voice.

"You've now given the commitment that they will have the ability to give or withhold local consent and that will be what determines whether fracking takes place on Fylde or not and I will be making sure that the government delivers on that promise."

The lifting of a ban on fracking means the UK's only shale gas wells in Lancashire could be reopened.

It came as a report by the British Geological Survey concluded there was still limited understanding of the UK's shale reserves and drilling impacts.

Mr Menzies has previously said fracking was a "danger to the public" and has vowed "to continue to fight on behalf of our local communities".

A spokesman for the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said: "The energy secretary will lay out more details regarding local consent in due course."

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