Lancashire County Council has rejected an application from Cuadrilla Resources to start fracking for shale gas at a site on the UK’s Fylde coast.

Cuadrilla sought permission from the council to drill, frack and test at Preston New Road, Little Plumpton.

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However, Lancashire council rejected the proposal claiming that fracking will lead to ‘unacceptable noise impact’ and ‘adverse urbanising effect on the landscape’.

"Each member of the committee has cast their vote based on the evidence they have heard and whether they think the proposal is acceptable in planning terms, and to the people they represent."

Lancashire county councillor Marcus Johnstone said: "This is one of the biggest planning decisions ever put before Lancashire County Council.

"The decision to refuse this application has been reached by a vote of the committee, which is composed of elected councillors, and each member of the committee has ultimately cast their vote based on the evidence they have heard and whether they think the proposal is acceptable in planning terms, and to the people they represent."

Cuadrilla said: "We will now take time to consider our options regarding an appeal for Preston New Road, along with also considering appeals for the planning applications recently turned down, against officer advice, for monitoring and site restoration at Grange Hill, and last week’s decision to refuse the Roseacre Wood application."

The rejection has been welcomed by environmentalists, reports The Guardian.