CITY and county councillors have signed an open letter opposing government fracking proposals.
Three Oxford City representatives and 12 Oxfordshire county councillors signed the document, which calls for plans allowing companies to undertake exploratory drilling without local planning applications to be withdrawn.
Under the proposals, exploratory drilling by fracking companies would be treated as ‘permitted development’.
This would mean fracking companies do not need to apply for planning permission from the local authority. Permitted development is a category of planning originally designed to facilitate minor structural changes to homes, such as extensions and putting up sheds.
More than 851 councillors across the country have signed the letter, while 40 councils have also formally opposed the plans.
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