The search for shale gas in Poland raises hope for improvement in Poland’s energy situation. However, it also causes conflicts, especially with the inhabitants of the areas where the gas deposits are to be exploited, who are afraid living conditions will deteriorate. Various ways of expressing protest and resolving conflicts are looked for. However, it seems that spatial planning is the ground where such conflicts may be resolved in the simplest way and at the same time the most effectively, because shale gas extraction activities have to be in compliance with the planning documents of communes. Therefore, the possibility of gas extraction and the extraction area are dependant on the decision of the commune local authorities, representing the best interests of inhabitants. Besides, the way the local planning documents are drawn up gives inhabitants numerous opportunities to formulate and enforce the fulfilment of their expectations. Financial compensation for the persons whose real property has declined in market or use value as a result of the approval of the local plan is also a part of the planning system. Therefore spatial planning allows the interests of various parties to be balanced and, in consequence, reduction of the number and scale of the conflicts over shale gas extraction.
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