RE: LOXLEY APPROVED !!!!!!!7 Jun 2022 16:55
26.Whilst the Secretary of State has considered the exploratory and appraisal application
before him on its own merits, for the reasons given at IR11.116 the Secretary of State
agrees that exploration and appraisal are a necessary part of mineral development and
without it, the currently acknowledged benefits of production cannot be realised. For the
reasons given at IR11.117-11.127 the Secretary of State agrees that there is a
reasonable likelihood of confirming a viable resource for extraction, and that while the
proposal would not, in itself, deliver commercial quantities of gas, nonetheless, there are
positive benefits that must accrue from the exploration/appraisal phase (IR11.127). He
further agrees (IR11.129) that the overall thrust of government policy, as well as the
vision of the SMP, are supportive of the utilisation of mineral resources within acceptable
environmental constraints. While he has had regard to the Inspector’s analysis at
IR11.127 and acknowledges that the project is not itself an extraction project, and would
be short term, he considers that the exploration/appraisal phase is a necessary precursor
to extraction without which it would not be possible to identify the extent and viability of
the resource so as to consider and possibly achieve the potential benefits. Whilst he
again agrees with the Inspector that granting permission for this proposal does not create
any presumption in favour of consent for subsequent phases (IR11.117), the Secretary of
State affords great weight to the benefits of the proposed development in line with the
Framework
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