The source told The Guardian that civil servants are “concerned” that the appeal process may not conclude until November 2016 at the earliest.
“It is incredibly frustrating for the government,” the source told the newspaper.
“Cuadrilla has already spent millions on the process, and will now have to spend millions more on the appeal. Without a successful outcome in Lancashire, there could be knock-on effects to other areas where there appears to be shale gas which we need.
“It is no exaggeration to say that the rest of the industry is keeping one eye on Lancashire because if the appeal is unsuccessful there, it will become a blueprint for future anti-fracking campaigns.”
Last month, Cuadrilla was refused permission to explore for shale gas its Roseacre Wood site. After much deliberation, a decision was made to reject the firm’s Preston New Road, despite receiving backing from planning officials.
Councillors said they rejected Cuadrilla’s application because of the “visual impact and unacceptable noise”.
In a statement, the company said it had completed the “most comprehensive environmental impact assessments ever carried out for operations of this kind” and earlier this month, decided to appeal the decision.