AN APPLICATION for a controversial seismic gas and oil survey off the west Wales coast has been suspended today (May 31).
In a letter to Pembrokeshire Friends of the Earth today, the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy revealed the planned survey had been halted.

The letter says: “Before the applications could be determined BEIS Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Environment and Decommissioning would also have to undertake a Habitats Regulations Assessment to determine whether there would be a likely significant effect on any protected species or the integrity of any protected sites.
“To date, the applications have not been determined, and at Eni UK Ltd’s request all work on the applications has now been suspended.
“I can also assure you that approval would not be granted if it was determined that the proposals were likely to have any significant adverse effects on the local wildlife or the integrity of any Special Areas of Conservation.”

Stephen Crabb MP said: “Following concerns raised by my constituents about the proposed seismic survey due to take place on 1st June off the coast of Cardigan Bay, I wrote to Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Greg Clark, asking him to intervene to prevent this survey taking place. I have now received a response from Greg which confirms that no approval has been granted to Eni UK’s application and that the survey will not be going ahead tomorrow.

“This is great news and I am sure that those constituents who have raised their concerns with me will be reassured. I also note that all work on the application has now been suspended. Greg Clark confirms that approval would not have been granted if the proposals were likely to have any significant adverse effects on the Pembrokeshire coast and the wildlife that live there. I am very glad to hear the Government make this commitment and will continue to monitor the situation in case there are further developments.”

The Rt Hon Greg Clark MP, Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Inustrial Strategy said in his letter to Mr Crabb: “I can assure you that approval would not be granted if the proposals were likely to have any significant adverse effects on the Pembrokeshire coast and the wildlife that live there.”

Gordon James, of Pembrokeshire Friends of the Earth told The Herald: “We are delighted to learn that this outrageous plan to search for oil and gas in one of the UK’s most valuable marine wildlife areas has been suspended.

“The proposal triggered an extremely angry response throughout west Wales and further afield. It made a mockery of the declaration of a climate change emergency by the Welsh Government and the House of Commons and flew in the face of growing international concern about wildlife extinction.

“We now call upon the company to totally scrap, rather than just suspend, this application.

“We also call upon the Welsh Government to tighten their policies to ensure that this sort of application cannot happen again.”