Fracking: Companies could poll Lancashire residents for drilling consent in exchange for money, it's been revealed

Plans under consideration could see the test of “local consent”, the key question in the fracking debate that has ignited anger on the Tory backbenches, effectively outsourced to private companies in a dialogue with local residents.

If signed off by Jacob Rees-Mogg, the Business and Energy Secretary, local councils would be sidelined with fracking companies told to reach a “threshold” of local support.

The proportion of people in a local area who need to agree before drilling can take place is currently being finalised by the Government.

It is understood that companies like Quadrilla, who operated the capped-off site at Preston New Road in Lancashire, will be tasked with gaining the support of residents through, for example, offering financial benefits or money off energy bills.

“I suspect the results will be rather similar to a Russian referendum, but in the No column,” said one senior Tory MP.

Fracking was halted in 2019 over concerns over whether tremors could be accurately predicted and after a series of earth tremors were caused by the two wells fracked at Preston New Road site near Little Plumpton.

These included a 2.9-magnitude quake, recorded near the site in 2019, which was believed to be the biggest fracking-related tremor seen in Britain.

Mr Rees-Mogg clarified last week that he thought the level of seismic activity allowed at sites was “too low”.

Consultation between residents and industry could also include agreements over levels of disturbance, such as times that trucks are allowed to operate.

“We want to facilitate helpful, constructive, mutually beneficial negotiation, rather than impose things,” a Government source said.

There are also “political concerns” about Labour councils blocking money for residents, following worries that councils had “sat” on business support given out during the pandemic rather than pass the money on to their area.

Liz Truss today told BBC Radio Lancashire on Thursday details on “local consent” would be set out in due course.

Ed Miliband, the former Labour leader and shadow climate change secretary, told our sister paper The Yorkshire Post: “The people of Lancashire don’t want her dangerous, expensive fracking plan imposed on them and nor do the people of Yorkshire.

“Now it emerges that because it can’t win its case by consent the government is considering outsourcing the decisions to fracking companies.

“It moved the goalposts on earthquakes, now it is trying to rig the rules on consent. If this is true, it will outrage people across our country.”

Rees-Mogg last week accused opponents to fracking of “ludditry”, prompting outrage from Tory backbenchers.

“There is nothing luddite about the people of Lancashire or of Fylde,” Fylde MP Mark Menzies told him, while MP Mark Fletcher said communities are being “bought off”.

Overturning Britain’s ban on fracking was one of the first initiatives announced by the new government under new PM Liz Truss.

Lancashire anti-fracking campaigners have vowed to bring back protests if it goes ahead.