• Skip to content
  • Skip to navigation
Logo: Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council
Your Account
  • Menu
Close menu
Close
  • About the Council
  • Business and Economy
  • Children and Families
  • Community and Living
  • Council Tax and Benefits
  • Education and Learning
  • Environment and Waste
  • Health and Social Care
  • Housing
  • Jobs and Careers
  • Leisure and Culture
  • Planning and Development
  • Transport and Streets
  • See all news
  • See all events
  1. Home
  2. Planning and development
  3. Shale gas and hydraulic fracturing (fracking)

Shale gas and hydraulic fracturing (fracking)

In this section

  1. Shale gas and hydraulic fracturing (fracking)
  2. Fracking in Rotherham
  3. You are here: The planning process for fracking
  4. Have your say on fracking

The planning process for fracking

The normal planning process has to be followed for planning applications for fracking. Planning permission is required from the Council's Planning Board for each stage.

There are usually three main stages which require planning permission.

Stage 1 - Exploration

This involves building a drilling rig and drilling vertically, deep into the ground to find out how much gas is in the shale. This does not involve fracking.

Stage 2 - Appraisal

This involves using the rig to carry out test fracking to see how the gas flows out of the shale.

Stage 3 - Production

This involves applying for planning permission to set up a full-time commercial fracking operation. If the company gained planning permission, these works would take several years to complete.

The company will need to show how it has carefully considered the impacts and practical issues about how the site will operate and how it will affect the local area. This includes full and proper consideration of a range of issues including:

  • lighting, dust, smells and noise
  • operating hours of the site
  • lorry access and routes
  • flood risk
  • site restoration and aftercare once the works have been completed.

Firms wishing to carry out fracking also have to get the relevant licences and approvals from the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) under the Petroleum Act; the Environment Agency and the Health and Safety Executive.

The Planning Board considers each planning application on its individual merits and is impartial. Guidance has been issued to councillors by the Local Government Association's Planning Advisory Service on handling planning applications for the various stages of the fracking process. This includes the types of issues they must consider when making a decision and those which they cannot.

We always advertise applications and invite written comments. Members of the public have the opportunity to present their case in person at the Planning Board meeting.

If the planning committee decides to refuse planning permission for any application there is a right of appeal.

  • Previous page: Fracking in Rotherham
  • Next page: Have your say on fracking

Stay connected

Sign up for our newsletter
Footer Logo: Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council
  • About this website
  • Accessibility statement
  • Privacy
  • Languages
  • Contact Us
  • Location
  • Terms and conditions
  • Facebook logo
  • Twitter logo
  • YouTube logo
  • Instagram logo
  • LinkedIn logo

All content © 2025 Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council. All Rights Reserved.

Designed and Powered by Jadu.

chatbot launch button image
Left Right
Full Wide Split Narrow
Chatbot avatar image
Hi, I'm Bailey
I'm here to answer your questions.

Hi, I'm Bailey, how can I help you today? You can ask me questions relating to a number of council services.

To start a chat you will need to click 'continue' to confirm you have read and understood our terms and conditions Privacy Policy.

Privacy Statement