FRACKING could be around the corner for parts of the South West, including some of Somerset's most sensitive special interest sites, Green MEP Molly Scott Cato has warned.

The topic has been high on the agenda this week after North Yorkshire councillors voted to allow fracking near the village of Kirby Misperton.

Last year the government issued 22 licence blocks for oil and gas extraction across Dorset, Wiltshire and Somerset alone, including the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site, Poole Harbour, The Quantock Hills, Exmoor National Park, and Salisbury Plain. The Mendip Hills and the Forest of Dean are among other areas in the South West being opened up for fracking.

Dr Scott Cato said: “This is a truly disastrous decision by councillors in North Yorkshire and shows that the Tories will willingly disregard the health, wellbeing and views of local people and the protection of the environment to enable a hugely damaging industry get stuck in and line its pockets.

"This is the tip of the iceberg and we could now see the frackers begin their march across our beautiful region.

"In the South West, fracking would prove enormously costly not just for our precious environment and landscapes but also for a rural economy so heavily reliant on tourism. Some of our most fragile and treasured landscapes could become exposed to noise, air, light and water pollution.”

Dr Scott Cato says a vote to remain in the EU on the June 23 is more likely to help keep the South West frack-free: “With only a month to go until the referendum, it must be remembered that EU law has the precautionary principle at its heart.

"This means that safety must be proven rather than proving harm after problems have arisen. The UK government clearly has no such precautionary intentions; it is going all out for shale and led lobbying efforts against EU recommended environmental and public health safeguards.”

Dr Scott Cato is asking residents in the South West to urge their local councillors, MPs and MEPs to sign a recently launched cross-party frack-free petition, which has 54 signatories so far.

Speaking following the decision in Yorkshire, chief executive of UK Onshore Oil and Gas, Ken Cronin, told the BBC it was the right thing to move towards renewable energy but it could not happen overnight.

He also said that whatever the type of energy the country attempted to produce there were local planning objectors: "The situation is that in the UK we have a problem whether it's wind or shale. Getting through the planning system involves a number of objectors."