A PETITION against fracking — signed by 2,500 Bolton residents — will be handed to Bolton Council at a meeting tonight.

The petition has been organised by the Bolton Liberal Democrats and asks the authority to not allow any fracking to take place on council land and to ensure that the environmental impacts of any application are “thoroughly assessed”.

The petition will be supplemented by a motion by Lib Dem Councillor Andrew Martin, who will call on the council to back the “strong public opposition” to the controversial process.

It follows news in August that the government will offer a licence to drilling firm Osprey, allowing it to carry out exploratory work in an area of land covering Horwich, Blackrod, Rivington and Belmont.

The government has also earmarked the rest of Bolton as having potential for shale gas extraction — with consultation and environmental assessments now taking place.

Fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, is the process of injecting liquid at high pressure into subterranean rocks in order to force open existing fissures and extract oil or gas.

At a council meeting last month, leader Cliff Morris said the authority would oppose fracking proposals in Bolton “as a starting point”.

Liberal Democrat leader Roger Hayes said he should now go further.

He said: “The petition and the motion say that we shouldn’t allow any fracking on council land.

“But we also want to make sure that we very thoroughly look at all of the environmental impacts if and when a planning application for fracking comes to the council.”

He added: “We also want to oppose any democratic moves by the government to short-circuit the planning process.”

This refers to an announcement from the government that will change the rules on fracking applications — effectively allowing ministers to intervene if local councils fail to act quickly enough.”

Cllr Martin will tell the meeting: “We would ask that the council agrees to oppose strongly any attempt to weaken or override its powers as a planning authority when considering any applications for fracking.”

The motion will also welcome the fact that The Woodland Trust has taken a decision not to allow fracking on its land.

The trust completed the £3 million purchase of the majority of the Smithills estate earlier this year — ensuring the restoration of the historic 1,700-acre site.