Pat Smith, a 71-year-old grandmother from Dorking, is walking over 100 miles to raise funds for a legal challenge to Surrey County Council.
Continue reading “Dorking campaigner to walk 100 miles for Horse Hill legal challenge”
Call for Artists!
The Weald Action Group is calling for artists to submit work for a special online art sale in October 2020.
The sale is to raise funds for a legal challenge to Surrey County Council’s decision to allow the drilling of four more oil wells – and 20 years of oil production – at Horse Hill, near Horley in Surrey.
Sarah Finch, a local resident, has, with the support of the Weald Action Group, challenged this decision in court and won the right for a judicial review. Read more about the case.
The legal costs for this challenge are £35,000. Thanks to many generous supporters, more than £23,000 of this has been raised already. We now need to raise the remaining £12,000.
Weald Action Group plans to set up an online gallery during October 2020. We are inviting artists to list works for sale. The Weald Action Group will retain 33% of the asking price to go towards the costs of the judicial review.
If you’re an artist and would like to take part, please download the prospectus to find out more details, or email artatwag@gmail.com.
If we win this case, it will be an important precedent for fossil fuel developments and other high-carbon-footprint developments across the UK. Planning authorities will have to consider the long-term, indirect emissions associated with a development, and the government’s Net Zero target.
Green light for legal challenge to Surrey County Council’s support for 20 years’ oil production at Horse Hill
Sarah Finch, a campaigner from Redhill, has been granted permission by the Appeal Court for a Judicial Review of Surrey County Council’s decision to allow the drilling of four new oil wells and 20 years of oil production at Horse Hill, near Gatwick in Surrey.
Sarah Finch and many others had objected to the proposed development by UK Oil and Gas for a range of reasons, including climate change. When Surrey County Council approved the plans in September 2019, Sarah issued a legal challenge, with support from the Weald Action Group. She claimed that the Council had failed to consider the direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions of the project, and the government’s Net Zero target for carbon emissions.
Isle of Wight oil plans open for consultation
PUBLIC CONSULTATION for UK Oil & Gas to drill for oil and gas on the Isle of Wight is now open. Please object before Friday July 24th.
All the details about the planning application (reference 20/00513/FUL) which is at Arreton are on the Isle of Wight Council website.
Continue reading “Isle of Wight oil plans open for consultation”
UKOG’s application to drill at Dunsfold refused
Update 3 August 2020: The decision to refuse planning permission for oil and gas exploration at Dunsfold has now been ruled invalid following technical problems during the committee meeting, which was conducted online. There will now be further training for councillors and the decision will be taken again.
Continue reading “UKOG’s application to drill at Dunsfold refused”
Oil company injunction watered down further as campaigners celebrate – press release
Campaigners are celebrating a significant weakening of an injunction, which set out to target peaceful protest at unconventional oil sites in Surrey and Sussex.
The High Court has agreed a variation of the Order by UK Oil and Gas (UKOG) against ‘Persons Unknown’, removing clauses relating to their supply chain, combining together to protest and ‘gathering and loitering’ at the sites.
Request to extend moratorium to include all forms of fracking refused
The government has no plans to extend the current temporary moratorium on hydraulic fracturing to include other forms of well stimulation, according to a letter from Minister for Business, Energy and Clean Growth, Kwasi Kwarteng.
Continue reading “Request to extend moratorium to include all forms of fracking refused”
Angus Energy pulls Balcombe three-year well test plan – but will submit further application
Residents of Balcombe in West Sussex have welcomed the withdrawal of oil company Angus Energy’s planning application for a three-year well test on the edge of the village.
However, they warn that the fight goes on, as a company statement to shareholders announcing the withdrawal on 1 May also said that Angus intends to submit an updated application for a shorter test within six weeks.
“The Voice of Persons Unknown” – Defendants can stay in the case opposing a draconian oil company injunction
An application by oil company UK Oil and Gas PLC (UKOG) to strike out five women from Surrey and Sussex who oppose their interim injunction failed at the High Court today.
Oil company lawyers seek to remove legally represented defendants from injunction case
A day long wrangle over court procedures failed to resolve any of the main issues in the UK Oil and Gas (UKOG) injunction case, which is being opposed by five fossil fuel campaigners from Surrey and Sussex.
It also failed to involve any of the so-called possible defendants which the oil company claim to number 116, despite two having come forward to remove their names from it.