COUNTY council chiefs have agreed to extend the the window for councillors to decide on a controversial fracking application.

Shale gas firm Cuadrilla wants to drill, frack, and test gas flows The application has already led to anti-fracking protests being held in Burnley, with campaigners concerned about future drilling in East Lancashire if the applications are successful.

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A decision had been expected in relation to the sites in Preston New Road, Little Plumpton, and Roseacre Wood, Roseacre on April 30.

But approval or refusal will now be announced on June 30 after a request from Cuadrilla to consider additional information about the applications. Cuadrilla’s request resulted in the deferral of a development control committee meeting in January 2015 at which councillors were initially due make a decision on each application.

A Lancashire County Council statement said: “The council has subsequently consulted upon the new information provided by Cuadrilla and planning officers must now review the feedback from the consultation period .”

The county council previously turned down Cuadrilla’s plan to carry out pressure testing and seismic monitoring at Grange Road, in Singleton.