Council commits to statutory review of ministerial approval of exploratory oil planning application

Waverley Borough Council has committed to a statutory review challenging a called-in decision by the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to grant planning permission for an exploratory oil and gas well bordering an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

A special executive meeting held by the council last week (11 May) saw councillors vote to proceed with its legal challenge after receiving permission from the High Court in March of this year.

The planning permission, which involves creating a borehole in Loxley, Surrey, on land adjacent to an AONB and in the Surrey Hills Area of Great Landscape Value, was twice refused by Surrey County Council.

Planning Inspector Phil Barner later recommended approval of the plan, and the then-Housing Minister Stuart Andrew green-lit the planning application on behalf of Michael Gove.

The inspector said overall harm to the AONB would be moderate. However, a local community group, Protect Dunsfold, which is bringing the legal challenge alongside Waverley, says that the AONB issue should have been given more weight.

The borough council announced it has authorised up to £32,500 in funds to meet the external legal costs of mounting the challenge.

Cllr Paul Follows, Leader of Waverley Borough Council, said drilling for oil is "completely at odds with our declared Climate Emergency and similar declarations made by the County Council and the Government".

Portfolio Holder for Environment and Sustainability, Cllr Steve Williams, added: "At every stage in the long and tortured history of this planning application, local people have demonstrated their overwhelming opposition to any drilling for hydrocarbons at Dunsfold."

Cllr Williams continued: "We have consistently supported that view and remain extremely concerned that any oil exploration at the Loxley site will lead to irreversible harm to our environment, to local businesses and to local people. Our position has not changed: we remain absolutely opposed to it in any form."

The hearing is set to take place on 8 June.

Adam Carey