Professor Steven Broomhead Chief Executive Mr Carter – By Email Garry Legg Planning Policy & Programme Manager Environment and Regeneration Directorate

New Town House Buttermarket Street WA1 2NH Our ref: 13 /1 4-276

th 6 January 201 4

Dear Mr Carter,

Freedom of Information Act Request: Planning Applications for Shale or Coal Bed Methane or Borehole Explorations

I am writing in response to your email of 16th December 2014 requesting information about planning applications submitted since 2007 for shale or coal bed methane or borehole explorations.

In response to your enquiry I can advise that the following such planning applications were received by Warrington Borough Council for activities related to the extraction of unconventional gasses:

• Doe Green, Farnworth Road, Penketh – Approved coal bed methane extraction development (planning application references. 99/40507 and 2010/16949) • Land at Woolston adjacent to the Viaduct. Planning permission was granted for exploratory bore holes in 2010 (planning application reference. 2009/15700) • Land off Waterworks , Winwick – Planning approval (2011/19226) granted for the 'Proposed drilling of exploratory borehole; erection of containerised units and associated plant and equipment; extraction of mine gas to generate electricity; sub-station; lighting post; fencing; gates and ancillary plant'.

You can access further information on these applications by using the unique planning application reference number provided to search using the following web link:

http://planning.warrington.gov.uk/swiftlg/apas/run/wphappcriteria.display ?

If you experience any trouble doing so you can seek assistance from the Council’s Development Management Support Team who can be contacted on 01925 442819 or via email at [email protected]

If you are not satisfied with my response to your request for information, you may ask the Council for an internal review of this decision. You should write to Timothy Date, Solicitor of the Council at Warrington Borough Council, Quattro, Buttermarket Street, Warrington, WA1 1BN, giving details of your complaint. You should do this as soon as possible, or, in any case, within two months of your request being refused.

If, following the outcome of the internal review, you remain dissatisfied with the Council's response to your information request, you have the right under section 50 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to appeal to the Information Commissioner at:

Information Commissioner's Office Wycliffe House Water Lane Wilmslow SK9 5AF

Telephone: 01625 545745 or 0303 123 1113 Fax: 01625 524 510 Email: [email protected]

Yours sincerely

Garry Legg Planning Policy & Programme Manager