COUNCILLORS in the Forest of Dean have voiced their concerns about Prime Minister Liz Truss’ pledge to lift the nationwide ban on fracking.

The newly-elected PM confirmed last week that the government would allow fracking in the UK as part of plans to accelerate the country’s domestic energy supply.

The practice was banned in England in 2019 amid local concern and new research into the risk of earthquakes.

But Ms Truss announced last week that developers will be able to seek planning permission for fracking “where there is local support”.

The controversial technique involves drilling into the earth and directing a high-pressure mixture of water, sand and chemicals at a rock layer in order to release the gas inside.

The potential for fracking has been explored in the past in the Forest and Wye Valley.

Campaigners rejoiced as South Western Energy rejected licences for gas exploration in 2016, due to strong opposition from residents, including local group Frack Off Our Forest, and a lack of financial backing.

But following Ms Truss’ announcement, there are fears the prospect of exploration could be raised once again.

Forest of Dean District Council climate emergency cabinet member Chris McFarling (G, St Briavels) told the Local Democracy Reporting Service he would put forward a motion to renew the local authority’s stance that fracking is not welcome in the Forest.

“It goes against our principle priorities of trying to address climate change and save biodiversity”, he said.

“Furthermore, the potential harm to our aquifers at a time when we are in need of fresh water to survive the drought, seems to be ill thought through.”

Opposition to fracking grew in 2011 after operations caused two minor earthquakes in Lancashire.

The Guardian revealed last week that a leaked report from the British Geological Survey (BGS), requested by the government in April, suggests that little progress has been made in reducing and predicting the risk of earthquakes from fracking.

The Tory manifesto in 2019 promised the practice would only be resumed in the UK if “the science shows categorically that it can be done safely”.

Environmentalists have also criticised the move to allow it, saying that the pursuit of fossil fuels is at odds with national efforts to tackle climate change.