PETROCHEMICAL giant Ineos is launching a legal challenge against the Scottish government’s fracking ban.

Ministers announced a permanent prohibition in October, saying they took a “cautious, evidence-led approach” in reaching the decision, having included business and communities.

At the time, a vote by MSPs endorsed the ban and a consultation revealed that 99 per cent of the public said they backed a ban.

Labour and the Greens called for the ban to be put down in legislation but Energy Minister Paul Wheelhouse insisted that the vote was “sufficiently robust.” Only Conservative MSPs voted against the move.

But Ineos Shale has branded the ban “unlawful” and — together with its partner Reach — has applied for a judicial review at the Court of Session, Scotland’s highest civil court, claiming there was a “failure to adhere to proper statutory process and a misuse of ministerial power.”

The company said the ban on unconventional oil and gas extraction would mean Scotland missing out on 3,100 jobs and £1 billion for local communities, adding that millions had been invested in acquiring licences to drill.

Mr Wheelhouse said: “We have taken a careful and considered approach to arriving at our preferred policy on unconventional oil and gas in Scotland.

“The Scottish government’s position was endorsed by the Scottish Parliament in October, subject to completion of a strategic environmental assessment, and follows detailed assessment of the evidence and consultation with the public.”

Green MSP Mark Ruskell called the bid by Ineos a “predictable and desperate attempt by an industry sinking under public protest in England to try to salvage the last drop of commercial benefit in Scotland.

“Scotland doesn’t want or need fracking and Ineos should accept they lost the democratic debate in the Scottish Parliament. The evidence was there to ban fracking and that is what Holyrood has done.”

Friends of the Earth Scotland said the challenge “reeks of desperation” and was confident that the court decision will go against Ineos.

While announcing the ban last year, the Scottish government said its backing for Scotland’s industrial base and manufacturing sector was “unwavering” but it had decided that there was no place for fracking north of the border while “balancing the interests of the environment, our economy, public health and public opinion.”