Nationally, CPRE has updated their policy on shale gas and oil which can be found on their website. 

Our Branch continues to be extremely worried by research produced by the independent House of Commons library and Sheffield Heeley MP Louise Haigh which shows that one sixth of Yorkshire’s unique and protected landscapes are now covered by Petroleum Exploration and Development Licences. This area also encompasses 140 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) across Yorkshire.

We will also watch with interest as Senior Tory peer Anne McIntosh challenged the Government to put public safety first over fracking on 2 November. 

These unique areas are as follows (NP - National Park; AONB - Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty; SSSI - Site of Special Scientific Interest):

• The North York Moors (NP)
• The PeakDistrict (NP)
• Howardian Hills (AONB)
• Riveaulx Woods (SSSI within NP)
• Duncombe Park (SSSI within NP)
• Castle Hill Deer Park and Windy Pits (SSSI within NP)
• Bainksey Bank Spring (SSSI within NP)
• Sleightholme Dale (SSSI within NP)
• Tipsdale (SSSI within NP)
• Hill House Nab (SSSI within NP)
• Bull Ings (SSSI within NP)
• Cropton Banks and Howlgate Head Woods (SSSI within NP)
• Newbridge Quarry (SSSI)
• Ellers Wood and Sandale (SSSI within NP)
• Ellerburn Bank (SSSI within NP)
• Seive Dale Fen (SSSI within NP)
• Troutsdale and Rosekirk Dale Fens (SSSI within NP)
• Hackness Head Quarry (SSSI within NP)
• Ruston Cottage Pasture (SSSI)
• Cockrah Wood (SSSI)
• Spiker’s Hill Quarry (SSSI)
• Green Lane Pit (SSSI)
• Golden Hill Pit (SSSI)
• Kirkdale Cave (SSSI within NP)
• Snaper Farm Meadow (SSSI within NP)
• Fairy Call Beck (SSSI within NP) 
• Flanborough Head Heritage Coast (SSI) (small section only)
• Strensall Common (SSI) -open heathland
• Clifton Ings and Rawcliffe Meadows (SSI) - protected species
• Askham Bog (SSSI)- biological importance
• Tadcaster Mere (SSsI) – nationally important geological conservation area
• Kirkby Wharfe (SSSI) – marshland
• Bolton Percy Ings (SSSI) – flood meadows
• The Ings Amotherby (SSSI) – fen meadow
• Horsfield Grilling (SSSI)
• Wath Quarry (SSSI)
• Dalby Bush Fen (SSSI)
• Nunnington Cuttings and Quarry (SSSI)
• Golden Hill Pit (SSSI)
• River Derwent (SSSI)
• Wintringham Marsh (SSSI)
• East Heslerton Brow (SSSI)
• Ladyhills (SSSI)
• Fordon Chalk Grasslands (SSSI)
• Hayburn Wyke (SSSI)
• 
Iron Scar and Hundale Point to Scalby Ness (SSSI)
• North Bay to South Toll House Cliffe (SSSI)
• Cayton, Cornelian and South Bays (SSSI)
• Filey Brigg (SSSI)
• Fordon Chalk Grasslands (SSSI)
• Hoddy Cows Spring (SSSI)
• Flamborough Head (SSSI)
• Boynton Willow Garth (SSSI)
• Howe Plantation (SSSI)
• Rancliffe and Forge Valley Woods (SSSI)
• Sked Dale (SSSI)
• Cottom Well Dale (SSSI)
• Clinquefoil Brow and Wood Dale (SSSI)
• River Hull Headwaters (SSSI)
• Skipsea Bail Mere (SSSI)
• Withow Gap (SSSI)
• Hornsea Mere (SSSI)
• Lambwath Meadows (SSSI)
• Dimlington Cliff (SSSI)
• Roos Bog (SSSI)
• Kelsey Hill Gravel (SSSI)
• Leven Canal (SSSI)
• Tophill Low (SSSI)
• Bryan Mills Field (SSSI)
• Burton Brushes (SSSI)
• Melton Bottom Chalk Pit (SSSI)
• Brantingham Dale (SSSI)
• Everthorpe Quarry (SSSI)
• Drewton Lane Pits (SSSI)
• Wyedale (SSSI)
• Newbald Becksies (SSSI)
• White Carr Meadow (SSSI)
• Melbourne and Thornton Ings (SSSI)
• Pocklington Canal (SSSI)
• Allethorpe Common (SSSI)
• Newton Mask (SSSI)
• Derwent Ings (SSSI)
• Breighton Meadows (SSSI)
• Barn Hill Meadows (SSSI)
• South Ferriby Chalk Pit (SSSI)
• Tetney Blow Wells (SSSI)
• South Ferriby Chalk Pit (SSSI)
• Kirmington Pits (SSSI)
• Wrawby Moor (SSSI)
• Broughton Alder Wood (SSSI)
• Broughton Far Wood (SSSI)
• Castethorpe Tupas (SSSI)
• Risby Warren (SSSI)
• Conesby Quarry (SSSI)
• Eastoft Meadow (SSSI)
• Thorne, Crowle and Goole Moors (SSSI)
• Crowle Barrow Pits (SSSI)
• Hatfield Moors (SSSI)
• Belshaw (SSSI)
• Epworth Turbury (SSSI)
• Hatfield Chase Ditches (SSSI)
• Haxey Turbury (SSSI)
• Went Ings Meadows (SSSI)
• Sandall Beat (SSSI)
• Potteric Carr (SSSI)
• River Idle Washlands (SSSI)
• Styrrup Quarry (SSSI)
• Edlington Wood (SSSI)
• New Edlington Brickpit (SSSI)
• Ashfield Brick Pits (SSSI)
• Sprotbrough Gorge (SSSI)
• Denaby Ings (SSSI)
• Cadebury Quarry (SSSI)
• Maltby Low Common (SSSI)
• Roche Abbey Woodlands (SSSI)
• Wood Lea Common (SSSI)
• Lindrick Golf Course (SSSI)
• Anston Stones Wood (SSSI)
• Shirley Pool (SSSI)
• Owston Hay Meadows (SSSI)
• Forlorn Hope Meadow (SSSI)
• Brockadale (SSSI)
• Wentbridge Ings (SSSI)
• South Elmsall Quarry (SSSI)
• Nostall Brickyard Quarry (SSSI)
• Fairburn and Newton Ings (SSSI)
• Mickletown Ings (SSSI)
• Madbanks and Ledsham Banks (SSSI)
• Nostell Brickyard Quarry (SSSI)
• Carlton Main Brickworks (SSSI)
• Bilham Sand Pits (SSSI)
• Stairfoot Brickworks (SSSI)
• Seckar Wood (SSSI)
• Wharmcliffe Crags (SSSI)
• Wadsley Fossil Forest (SSSI)
• Stannington Ruffs (SSSI)
• Neepsend Brickworks (SSSI)
• Neepsend Railway Cutting (SSSI)
• Totley Wood (SSSI)
• Moss Valley Meadows (SSSI)
• Moss Valley (SSSI)
• Eastern Peak District Moors (SSSI)
• Canyards Hills (SSSI)
• Little Don Stream Section (SSSI)