PLANS for fracking in Cheshire could be revived with the government using the energy crisis to get public opinion onboard, a local MP has claimed.

The controversial practice of fracking – or hydraulic fracturing – involves extracting oil and natural gas from underground rock formations.

It had looked to be dead in the water after the government announced a moratorium two years ago, effectively banning it.

But this week business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng announced a scientific review, and has asked the British Geological Survey (BGS) to assess whether there had been any new developments that could lead to the moratorium being lifted.

Fracking has proven highly divisive, with earthquakes being observed around some fracking sites, and concerns also raised about air and water pollution. But backers claim it could provide an answer to the country's energy needs.

Chris Matheson, MP for the City of Chester, had been a fierce opponent of fracking in the county and fears it could once again be on the cards.

He blamed what he called ‘crackpot views’ for driving a return to fracking, along with the war in Ukraine.

He told the LDRS: “On the right there’s this opposition to net zero, there’s people saying it’s not achievable and that’ll be economically damaging, on the fringes are the climate change deniers.

“They're trying to move away from environmentalism and sustainability. We cannot allow the right’s crackpot views to prevail.”

He added: “The war has forced gas prices up and the government has seen the opportunity to put it back on the table.”

Fracking has previously faced fierce opposition across Cheshire West. Island Gas Ltd (IGas) appealed after Cheshire West and Chester Council's planning committee overwhelmingly rejected a plan to flow test a shale gas well at Portside North on the outskirts of Ellesmere Port back in 2018.

The company then appealed against the refusal. It led to a lengthy public inquiry being held at Chester Town Hall in 2019, with the inspector's report passed to the Secretary of State and an announcement of the verdict expected in April 2020, following administrative and other delays created as a result of the pandemic.

That report though, is still yet to be released.

Mr Matheson added: “It’s curious that two years later we still haven’t had any news on the inspector's report. I would have expected it to be released by now.”

He added: “It (fracking) has no support and the potential damage would be catastrophic. It’s absolutely no good. We need to move away from carbon-based fuels.

“We’ve repelled this before and we’ll repel them again as a whole community.”

The  Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy declined to comment on Mr Matheson’s specific claims, but a statement by Kwasi Kwarteng, said: “We have always been, and always will be, guided by the science on shale gas.

"It remains the case that fracking in England would take years of exploration and development before commercial quantities of gas could be produced for the market, and would certainly have no effect on prices in the near term."

"However, there will continue to be an ongoing demand for oil and gas over the coming decades as we transition to cheap renewable energy and new nuclear power. In light of Putin’s criminal invasion of Ukraine, it is absolutely right that we explore all possible domestic energy sources."

"However, unless the latest scientific evidence demonstrates that shale gas extraction is safe, sustainable and of minimal disturbance to those living and working nearby, the pause in England will remain in place."