Gas bid sparks concern

SAFETY fears have been raised over plans to extract natural gas from below Lytham Moss.

Lytham St. Annes Express
Published on Wed Dec 29 08:11:55 GMT 2010

SAFETY fears have been raised over plans to extract natural gas from below Lytham Moss.

A well is being drilled at land on Anna’s Road, off North Houses Lane, St Annes, to determine the scale of shale gas reserves there.

It is one of three Fylde Coast sites identified, with tests also being carried out at Singleton, after successful samples were taken from Preese Hall Farm in Weeton.

Cuadrilla Resources has targeted the area because it believes Lancashire could potentially provide up to 10 per cent of the UK’s gas supply – providing a big boost to the local economy.

But there have been reports from the US of the search for shale gas contaminating underground water supplies – causing health problems.

Philip Mitchell, chairman of Blackpool and Fylde Green Party, spent Saturday talking to residents in St Annes Square about the issue.

He said: “I spoke to 40 to 50 St Annes residents and almost all were against Cuadrilla’s planned activities. It seems astonishing that the rig, which could catch fire, has been located so close to busy flight activity. The huge amounts of taxpayers’ money which would be necessary for infrastructure and just trying to keep the industry regulated would be better spent creating local jobs and cutting household and business energy bills by providing free building insulation for all.”

Blackpool Airport has also raised concerns that it could present “a hazard to the safe operation of aircraft”.