Australian firm Roc Oil had applied for permission to drill for gas and oil at Bingfield, north of Corbridge.

Now the company will erect a 35-metre high rig for ten weeks, to test for oil and gas deposits.

Local residents had objected, saying it would be unsightly and noisy.

Gordon Halliday: Following government guidelines

But Roc Oil said it would be unlikely they would find enough reserves to justify a long-term drilling operation.

The company plans to drill to a depth of 2,000 metres for 10 weeks.

The site of exploratory work and drilling is just outside of the boundary of the Hadrian's Wall World Heritage site.

Gordon Halliday, Northumberland County Council's chief planning officer, said: "The main reason for us taking the decision we have is a very strong presumption in favour of development by government.

"There is a government circular which gives very strong encouragement to the exploration stage of hydrocarbon development.

"We are talking about exploration here and not production.

"In our view this development can be worked satisfactorily and in a proper environmental manner."

Iain Crawford, who lives close to the planned exploration site, said: "I am very annoyed at what has gone on here today.

"This completely ignores any local considerations and there has been a presumption that it would go ahead al along."