Communities fighting onshore oil and gas
Plans to drill for oil on the Isle of Wight are open for another round of consultations with a deadline of February 12th. Please read the material and get in your objection before the deadline.
The consultation covers traffic and site issues, plus ecology, health and water issues. Don’t Drill the Wight has detailed briefings you can use and then personalise your objection.
Continue reading “Isle of Wight oil plans – new consultation”
A judge has found that Surrey County Council was not required to consider greenhouse gas emissions arising from the combustion of the oil to be produced at a site at Horse Hill, Surrey, when considering a planning application for massive expansion of oil drilling at the site over the next 25 years.
In a written ruling issued today, the Hon Mr Justice Holgate dismissed a legal challenge brought by Redhill resident Sarah Finch, who was supported by the Weald Action Group.
Continue reading “Judge finds against Horse Hill legal challenge”
The world’s governments must wind down fossil fuel production by 6% per year to limit catastrophic warming. This means reducing the supply of fossil fuels as well as demand for them.
These are key findings from the 2020 Production Gap, a new report from the United Nations. The report also finds that the UK is in a strong position to transition from fossil fuels, and to assist other countries in doing so.
Just a day later the UK Government announced a new target of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 68% on 1990 levels. But the target doesn’t go anywhere near far enough.
Continue reading “Carbon cuts: latest UN warning and Government’s new target”
Surrey Councillors have refused – for a second time – an application by UK Oil and Gas to drill at Dunsfold, near Godalming. The councillors recognised the huge impact the application for an exploratory drill would have had on the local community, local businesses, traffic, the environment and nearby Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. They also discussed the unsupported claims of UKOG that their operations would make a significant contribution to the UK’s energy security.
Continue reading “Dunsfold application refused for second time”
The long-awaited Judicial Review of Surrey County Council’s decision-making over the planning permission for 20 years oil production at Horse Hill took place over two days this week.
Join a debrief with barrister Estelle Dehon
Continue reading “Horse Hill Judicial Review: reflections and debrief”
Case could have wide-ranging implications for future carbon-intense proposals
A legal challenge to Surrey County Council’s decision to allow 20 years of oil drilling and production to take place near Gatwick airport begins in the High Court today.
Continue reading “High Court hears legal challenge against Surrey oil development”
The Weald Action Group, with local groups Frack Free Surrey and Back Off Horse Hill, is proud to launch a new video which shows why local communities are opposing plans to drill for oil at Horse Hill, and elsewhere in southern England.
The need for hydrogen to meet the UK’s zero-carbon target does not justify the expansion of the onshore oil and gas industry.
Some oil and gas companies are making the case that by providing gas which could be used to produce hydrogen they are part of the transition to zero-carbon. For example, Stephen Sanderson, CEO of UK Oil & Gas told Surrey County Council’s Planning Committee in June 2020: “We believe that well-regulated and safely produced indigenous gas, such as Loxley [Dunsfold], represents a vital opportunity to help meet net zero targets by providing the most cost effective solution for the future UK production of clean hydrogen fuel”.
Now the Weald Action Group has published a briefing which shows that there is no need for fossil fuels to produce this clean-burning fuel.
Continue reading “Need for hydrogen is no justification for oil and gas expansion”
The environmental organisation Friends of the Earth and the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government have been granted permission to participate in a local campaigners’ legal challenge over oil production at Horse Hill, near Gatwick in Surrey.
Campaigner Sarah Finch is bringing a Judicial Review of Surrey County Council’s decision to grant an onshore oil company planning permission for four new oil wells and 20 years of oil production. Friends of the Earth had applied to make a legal intervention to support the challenge; the Secretary of State applied to be joined in order to oppose the challenge.
Campaigners are celebrating as a cohort of onshore oil firms have been forced to walk away from the controversial proposed oil drilling site at Leith Hill in Surrey.
The consortium of UK Oil & Gas Plc (UKOG), Angus Energy and Egdon Resources Ltd has decided to relinquish the licence after concluding that “the required long-reach/shallow target-depth wells are neither technically viable or economically feasible”.
Continue reading “Campaigners celebrate as oil companies walk away from Leith Hill”