SWATHES of Barnsley’s countryside identified as being at risk from fracking will be protected for future generations - after council bosses announced a plan to lobby the government for permanent protection.

At a motion that will be discussed at the full council meeting on Thursday, Labour councillors will call on to the government to introduce restrictions on the controversial process of fracking to extract shale gas.

Huge chunks of Barnsley are at risk of future exploration and extraction should a future government give the green light to fracking companies to plough ahead, leaving residents worried about the impact on local communities and their own homes should fracking occur in Barnsley in future years.

A number of so-called ‘exploratory’ fracking licences were granted in 2015 on land across the borough.

Barnsley town centre, Ardsley, Barugh Green, Birdwell, Carlton, Cudworth, Darfield, Dodworth, Elsecar, Grimethorpe, Goldthorpe, Hood Green, Royston, Staincross, Thurnscoe, Wombwell and Worsbrough were all impacted.

Councillor James Higginbottom, cabinet spokesperson for environment and highways, said: “Fracking is a major worry for residents living in areas covered by fracking licences granted under previous Conservative governments.

“The reality is that fracking is an untried, untested and potentially damaging means of extracting fossil fuels from underneath our feet.

“Whether it is damage to properties, pollution of our water supplies or even the risk of earthquakes Barnsley residents are rightly concerned about a future Reform government giving the green light to fracking companies.

“It’s welcome that the government are considering a permanent ban in law - that cannot come soon enough and we would be 100 per cent behind a permanent ban of this dangerous practice.”

The extraction of shale gas by the process of hydraulic fracturing - more commonly known as fracking - represents a ‘considerable environmental and social threat’ to communities in Barnsley, according to the council.

The decision by the Conservatives in 2022 to revoke the moratorium on new fracking licences opened the door for new applications by fracking companies within Barnsley, so the absence of a permanent ban leaves open the risk of fracking should a future government - committed to pursuing fracking - ever take office.

Coun Kevin Osborne, cabinet support member for environment and highways, added: “The message from Nigel Farage and Reform could not be clearer: they want to ‘frack, baby, frack’ our countryside, putting homes and communities here in Barnsley at serious risk.

“We cannot stand by and let that happen.

“Barnsley Labour wants to see an immediate and permanent ban enshrined in law and we’re calling on the government to make that happen.”

Council leader Sir Steve Houghton is set to write to the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Ed Miliband, to welcome his commitment to a permanent ban on fracking and set out Barnsley’s position on the matter.

“The residents I talk to certainly don’t want fracking in Barnsley - they want to see cheaper bills, energy security and good jobs created,” Coun Higginbottom said.

“Labour’s plan to make Great Britain a clean energy superpower is essential to making that a reality.

“The choice for Barnsley is stark: a permanent ban on fracking with Labour, or the risk that Reform give the go-ahead to frack right under our feet.”