National Trust could allow fracking on its land, as wind farms ruled 'unlikely' Dame Helen Ghosh says that the controversial method which drills for natural gas could be given the go-ahead depending upon the evidence Practically ruled out wind farms on the conservation charity's property In August, the charity said on its website that is has 'a presumption against fracking on National Trust land' The charity that protects the UK's historic and natural spaces has revealed it could allow fracking on its land. The head of the National Trust says that the controversial method which drills for natural gas could be given the go-ahead on conserved land. Dame Helen Ghosh also practically ruled out allowing wind farms on the conservation charity's property. In August, the charity said on its website that is has 'a presumption against fracking on National Trust land' because natural gas is a fossil gas She told The Times: 'I think it is unlikely we would ever promote or allow a wind farm on our land.' She also said the charity was concerned about proposals for offshore wind farms which could be visible from its land in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. The Trust's director general said that the charity is studying the environmental impact that fracking has on the earth. She told The Times: 'We all have yet to see what the surface environmental impact of fracking is and when we have seen it then we would reach a view about whether (we would object to it) adjacent to National Trust land or on National Trust land.' This is an about-turn for the charity, which in August said on its website that is has 'a presumption against fracking on National Trust land' because natural gas is a fossil gas. Dame Helen Ghosh also practically ruled out allowing wind farms on the conservation charity's property It argued that the purpose of fracking - to mine for a finite resource which produces damaging greenhouse gases in the way it is burned - clashes with the charity's approach to energy use. The Trust also argued that the mining process gives rise to potential environmental and landscape impacts. In August, the charity outlined its unfavourable view of fracking, saying: 'Fossil gas is a finite resource that can only be mined and not harvested - it is not renewable. Its combustion produces greenhouse gases which we believe contribute to climate change. Climate change has a significant adverse impact on our core purpose of looking after special places, for ever for everyone. A presumption against extracting and increasing the supply of natural gas from our own properties is The Dame said it is unlikely that the Trust would allow a wind farm on its land consistent with our approach to our own energy use and generation. This is firstly to reduce our consumption of it at National Trust directly managed properties, and then to generate as much renewable energy as we reasonably can in a way that respects the landscape and environment. The Trust was founded in 1895 by Victorians, including Octavia Hill, who were determined to protect the countryside and places of historical importance. Since then it has fought to protect the countryside, and has committed itself to a programme revolving around reducing its environmental footprint. It has pledged to reduce use of fossil fuels by 50 per cent within the next 10 years. It aims to cut its carbon emissions from energy use for heat and electricity by 45 per cent - attempting to beat the Government's target of a 34 per cent reduction in CO2 emissions by 2020. Dame Helen's comments came after the Prime Minister announced a review of competition within the energy market yesterday and signalled he wanted to 'get to grips' with green regulations which were driving up energy bills. Downing Street said the proposal had been discussed over the course of weeks with Liberal Democrat ministers and would be set out in detail in Chancellor George Osborne's Autumn Statement on December 4. Mr Cameron insisted last night he had raised the ideas with his coalition partners and he was still committed to the environment. He said: 'Yes we should also look at rolling back the cost of some of these taxes, tariffs, charges that have been put in place. 'They are responsible for around £112 of someone's bill today and if we are serious about getting energy prices down and helping families it's no good having some phoney freeze policy, as Labour do, which is something of a con, what you need is to actually look at what is causing bills to go up. So that is what we are doing, it is something we have discussed in the coalition over the last few weeks. Officials announced that the annual review of competition in the energy sector will be conducted by regulator Ofgem, the Office of Fair Trading and the new Competition and Markets Authority. Details will be set out by Energy Secretary Ed Davey next week in his annual statement to the House of Commons. The first review is expected to begin within weeks and report next year, and will look at issues ranging from prices and profit levels to barriers to new entrants in the market, as well as how companies engage with customers, the Prime Minister's official spokesman said. But the move, which came just 24 hours after former prime minster Sir John Major called for the Government to hit energy firms with a windfall tax, was branded a 'panicky U-turn' by the Liberal Democrats. They claimed the Conservative side of the coalition had not brought forward any 'properly worked-up policies' and accused the Prime Minister of 'making policy up on the hoof'. Labour leader Ed Miliband will claim today that the PM is letting the 'Big Six' energy suppliers off the hook by not forcing them to freeze bills while the energy market is reset.