Lancashire County Council's ban on fracking has been overturned by the government, which has given the green-light for Cuadrilla to begin work in Fylde.
The MP said: “Shale gas has the potential to power economic growth, support 64,000 jobs, and provide a new domestic energy source, making us less reliant on imports.
Hydraulic fracturing, a method used to extract natural gas from shale rock formations, has proven extremely controversial, especially with environmental groups. North and Western Lancashire Chamber of Commerce's Blackpool offices, a building it shares with Cuadrilla, had previously been targeted by activists, while Lancashire County Council had previously moved to outlaw the practice in the region. Lee Petts, chairman of the Institute of Directors (IoD) in Lancashire, welcomed the news as a boost for the county.
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