Greenpeace stated changes the government is expected to make to the Infrastructure Bill, will allow companies to drill under people’s homes without their permission.
Greenpeace UK energy campaigner Louise Hutchins said: “The ugly truth is that after failing to win the argument on fracking, ministers now want to change the law to render people powerless to oppose it.
“The idea of stripping away well-established homeowners’ rights to make way for drilling rigs will be hard to stomach for many Tory voters in the countryside, let alone coalition MPs who will have to justify this toxic policy to their constituents.
“This has the potential to spark a real ballot box backlash at next year’s general election.
“If the government really cares about jobs and growth, they should start backing the clean energy sector which is already bolstering Britain’s economy and giving work to thousands of people across the country.”
The Department of Energy and Climate Change (Decc) stated that under current laws, oil and gas operations require access permission “like any other industrial activity”.
A Decc spokesperson added that an “existing legal route” allowing operators to apply for access when it cannot be negotiated is being examined to see whether it is “fit for purpose”.