Around eight per cent of the land in North East is urban. About three per cent of the North East region is covered by very good quality agricultural land and 39 per cent by good or moderate quality agricultural land. Nearly 80% of agricultural land in the North East is under some sort of agri-environment management which is an indicator of the extent to which land is being managed in a sustainable way.
The Environment Agency’s state of the environment report published in 2011 estimated that 5,700 hectares of brownfield/contaminated land in the region is either derelict, vacant or is in use with the potential for development. Between 2006-2009, 62% of new properties (on average) were built on previously developed land, compared to the average for England over the same period of 76%. The 2004 sustainability appraisal recorded 51% of housing built on brownfield sites between 1989-1993, and 59% between 1999-2002.
So not a high proportion of prime agricultural land and 5700 hectares doing very little. So an ideal candidate for gas exploration compared to most areas in the south.
Source:https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/11205/north_east.pdf