CALLS for a ban on fracking in Poole will be made to the council for a second time, following recent reports that the controversial shale gas extraction method has caused dozens of earthquakes in Lancashire.

A motion, calling for the authority to oppose any planning regulation changes which make it easier for companies to get permission for similar schemes and for it to forbid any activities on or under land in the borough, will be put to councillors in response to the reported issues.

Cuadrilla’s Lancashire operation is the only fracking site in the UK currently operating, resuming last month following a seven-month pause due to tremors in the ground.

However, since work began on October 15, dozens more have been recorded with the strongest – a 1.1 magnitude – occurring last week.

Cllr Mike Brooke, one of nine councillors to sign the motion which is due to go to the meeting of Poole council on Tuesday (November 13), said that recent events raised further questions about the impact of shale gas extraction.

“With the recent news about the earthquakes at the Cuadrilla we thought it was an appropriate time to bring the motion forward,” he said.

“About 18 months to two years ago we made a similar case but it was refused, partly because of a lack of real examples to highlight the impact of fracking and councillors refusing to believe the evidence that was available at the time.

“There’s always a chance that fracking could happen here and we want to protect the Dorset countryside and its people from the damage fracking can cause.”

In 2015, three companies were awarded licences to explore for oil and gas in nine ‘blocks’ of land in Dorset – including Poole.

Despite this, none of the licences have been used for fracking.

The motion has been signed by Cllrs Brooke, Moore, Brown, Eades, Hodges, Howell, Le Poidevin, Slade and Trent and will be put to the council at its meeting on Tuesday.