The motion, put forward by Cr John Rosenbaum calls on council to support the moratorium on coal seam gas “until such time as the Peer Review science that looks at the whole impact of the industry has been done”.

The motion will be put on the table as the blockade on the corner of Jacks Road and Maslens Lane continues, launched by members of the Barrington Gloucester Stroud Preservation Alliance last Monday in a bid to stop AGL moving onto a nearby property to begin exploratory drilling.

Following negotiations between the Alliance and AGL last week AGL announced on Thursday it had deferred its proposed exploration drilling program to allow for further community consultation.

In a statement the company said “AGL makes the decision to defer the drilling program with some reluctance in the knowledge of the impact it will have on our local business suppliers and partners and their employees so close to Christmas”.

AGL said would defer the drilling program until an independently peer reviewed hydrogeolocial study of the Stage 1 area had been completed and results made public and the result of the judicial review into the approval for the Stage1 gas production program in the Land and Environment Court are handed down by Justice Pepper.

AGLs group general manager upstream gas Mike Moraza said “once we have the outcomes of the judicial review and of the independently peer reviewed water study, the drilling exploration program will recommence. AGL is committed to continuing to consult with the local community around all of our activities through to the development of stage 1 of the project.”

Alliance spokesperson Graeme Healy said following the AGL announcement the Alliance committed to maintaining the blockade as its demands for a full independent groundwater study were not met.

“The community is insistent that a fully independent groundwater study be undertaken. We have agreed to good faith negotiations over the terms of an independent water study and we reject the bully boy negotiating tactic of AGL of announcing the outcome before negotiations begin.”

In a concession to local landholders the blockade was removed from the road, but a contingent maintains its vigil at the site to blockade any attempt by AGL to resume exploration drilling, Mr Healy said.

In a bid to prevent erosion on partially completed roadworks to the proposed drill site the Alliance agreed to allow AGL to undertake remediation works on site.