I share Peter Black’s concern about the rush to exploit methane from shale layers in South Wales.  In addition to the Maesteg operation, permission has been given in two places – one of which is in adjacent Aberdulais ward – in Neath Port Talbot to prospect for shale gas. I am not the only member of the council to express their worries. Both Steve Hunt (Seven Sisters) and Alun Llewelyn (Ystalyfera) spoke up during the consideration of the draft Local Development Plan yesterday. Mindful that the French Republic last month banned the practice, our planning officers have taken the problem on board. The good news is that there is nothing in the LDP which binds us in the Planning & Development Committee when considering any future applications for fracking. So far, the LDP is silent on the process, but one can expect the strategy section at least to contain appropriate wording as a result of the detailed work on the document which now commences.

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