The town of Boxtel, one of three Dutch locations earmarked for shale gas extraction, asked for the licence to be withdrawn two weeks ago, according to media reports on Friday.

Boxtel asked economic affairs minister Henk Kamp to cancel the licence awarded to British company Cuadrilla in 2010, saying not all the relevant information was available at the time.

Earlier this week, Kamp published a report which states the risks associated with shale gas extraction, a controversial process known as fracking, can be managed using existing laws.

The minister hopes test drilling can begin in Boxtel and the other locations in the second half of 2014.