This Practice Note summarises the planning regime for hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking, in England. While the process is similar in Scotland and particularly in Wales, there are some distinct differences due to recent constitutional changes in the UK. Additionally, the devolved administrations have imposed an effective ban on fracking in their countries. This Practice Note does not seek to address these differences.

In a Written Ministerial Statement (WMS) published in November 2019, the government made clear that, on the basis of scientific evidence, it had taken a presumption against issuing any further hydraulic fracturing consents. Fracking has not been allowed to proceed in England on the basis of scientific analysis published by the Oil and Gas authority (OGA) on 2 November 2019.

In April 2022, the government announced as part of the British energy security strategy 2022 that it had commissioned the British Geological Society to carry out an impartial technical review on shale gas, to consider any further scientific updates on seismicity since the WMS. The energy security strategy makes