A campaign group is threatening to take legal action against the Government over its decision to give the go-ahead for fracking.
Talk Fracking, led by fashion designer Dame Vivienne Westwood and her son Joe Corre, has issued a “pre-action legal letter” challenging the legality of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) published just before Parliament broke up for the summer recess last month.
The group claims the Government failed to conduct a strategic environmental assessment before issuing the NPPF.
A permit has now been issued to Cuadrilla to start fracking at a well in Lancashire which is expected to start soon.
Talk Fracking said it expected a response from the Government by August 21.
If this is unacceptable, it is anticipated that legal action will be taken before September 4.