Energy company Celtique Energie has dropped plans to test for shale oil in two sites in West Sussex, after the government announced a last-minute change to the law that would ban drilling in national parks.

The South Downs National Park Authority and West Sussex County Council unanimously rejected plans for exploratory shale oil and gas wells at Fernhurst and Wisborough Green last year.

Fernhurst is within the national park and Wisborough Green is just outside it but still within a conservation area.



Celtique confirmed on Wednesday that it would not meet the 16 March deadline to lodge an appeal for the Fernhurst site. It also withdrew the application near Wisborough Green, arguing that delays to the planning inquiry meant it would not have enough time to drill there before the end of its licence in June 2016.

The decision comes after the government announced a change to the Infrastructure Bill earlier this year to ban fracking within national parks.

“Recent changes in the infrastructure act 2015 restricting unconventional oil and gas development in national parks mean that one of the exploration aims, namely the evaluation of the shale properties, is no longer feasible,” Celtique said in a statement.

It also cited new planning guidance by the Department of Communities and Local Government that states applications for oil and gas exploration in National Parks should be refused “other than in exceptional circumstances and where it is in the public interest”.

“At present there is too much uncertainty over how this test will be applied in practice to justify investment in national parks,” Celtique added.

Friends of the Earth welcomed the decision and used the news to urge Lancashire Council to also reject plans by Cuadrilla in the coming weeks.

“This is a tremendous victory for common sense, and yet another blow to the coalition’s short-sighed fracking plans,” said Friends of the Earth south east campaigner Brenda Pollack. “Shale firms must take note of local people up and down the country who are rightly concerned about the impact of fracking on their communities and environment.

“Councillors in Lancashire must stand up for local people too, and reject Cuadrilla’s fracking plans when they are finally considered in a few weeks’ time.”