Kirby Misperton water monitoring wells approved

Third Energy has applied to fracture underground rocks at a site near the village of Kirby Misperton

Plans to drill boreholes at a site where a company wants to frack for shale gas have been approved by county councillors.

The five boreholes, at Kirby Misperton, North Yorkshire, would be used to monitor groundwater.

Third Energy has applied to fracture a well at the site to test if shale gas could be extracted commercially.

Results from the boreholes would be used as a baseline to check for water contamination.

Fracking is a technique for extracting gas or oil trapped between layers of rock by forcing the layers open using water under high pressure.

Third Energy's application to frack at the site was submitted in May and a public consultation is currently underway.

North Yorkshire County Council said the approval of the boreholes did not "predetermine" any future decisions with regard the company's fracking application.