CONCERNED residents in Bromsgrove met with their MP Sajid Javid last weekend, to discuss the controversial proposal to extract shale in Lancashire.

The newly formed Bromsgrove and Redditch Against Fracking group is calling on the government to respect Lancashire Council's decision to reject the bid from energy company Cuadrilla to frack in the county.

Alvechurch resident and group member Jenny Thatcher said: "Because of Sajid's role as a minister he was unable to discuss any specific fracking applications. But we are grateful to him for meeting with us and hearing our concerns. We look forward to an ongoing dialogue with our MP on this vital issue."

The anti-fracking group also met with Redditch MP Karen Lumley earlier this month, to talk about the fate of communities near Blackpool who are at the centre of plans to explore for shale gas.

Members are encouraging both MPs to support 'localism'.

Finstall resident Michelle Baker said: "If our Government is committed to localism, as it says it is, then it needs to respect Lancashire’s decision by not allowing Cuadrilla to explore for shale gas. There are temporary bans on fracking in Wales, Scotland, France and Germany. And hundreds of peer reviewed health reports all calling for a precautionary approach to fracking. Sajid Javid needs to hear this and keep the UK frack free.”

If Cuadrilla are given consent to explore for shale gas in Lancashire, it would be the first operational shale gas site in the UK since the closure of a Cuadrilla well in Lancashire in 2011.

Bromsgrove Green Party Spokesperson Alistair Waugh added: “This could easily be about plans for an unwanted development in Tardebigge and Beoley. Fracking in Lancashire would cause enormous worry to communities there.

"Hundreds of lorry journeys down country lanes, millions of gallons of polluted water, noise and gas-flaring at night. We wouldn’t want it here, why should they put up with it?

"Government needs to respect a local council's decision, rather than rail-roading people with a dodgy industry that no-one wants.”