A POLITICAL group in Hampshire has called for a block on attempts to begin the controversial process of fracking in the county.

As previously revealed in the Daily Echo, eight drilling licences have been granted, opening up the possibility of extracting gas deep below the ground. Champions of fracking argue thousands of jobs would be created amid a multi-million pound bonanza for the local economy.

Potential sites include an area west of Hinton in the New Forest, north of Chilbolton and east of Hambledon. Other spots are north of Southampton, north and east of Winchester and east of Fareham.

But the Liberal Democrat opposition group on Hampshire County Council has today urged the Tory-led authority to strongly oppose the controversial process, which involves blasting water underground to release trapped pockets of gas.

Environment spokesman county councillor Adam Carew said: “Already the Government has granted licences for fracking right across Hampshire. “Communities across Hampshire must be very worried.

“We live in a beautiful county and have a duty of care towards our farmers and residents. Is this really the sort of thing we want here in Hampshire?”

The party was echoing concerns of green campaigners over groundwater contamination and toxic air surrounding the sites while small earthquakes in Lancashire have been blamed on the controversial extraction method. The county council, as minerals and waste authority, decides planning applications for oil and gas.

However, it is doubtful that all the sites would be fracked, even if drilling went ahead. Many can potentially generate normal gas instead. No timeframe for work to start has been set and the companies involved have not been revealed.

Tory environment chief Cllr Sean Woodward said: “The licences are basically giving exclusivity to particular operators to explore for oil and gas – subject to planning permission etc in these areas. “If exploration is permitted, and is successful, the removal of the mineral would require further permissions and it is not pre-ordained that this would be by fracking – we already have three operational oil fields in Hampshire extracting oil by the traditional methods.”

Steve Brine, Winch-ester and Chandler’s Ford MP, added: “If any local community feels the case for allowing extraction in their area stacks up, in terms of community benefits for-instance, that is for them to say so at the appropriate time.”