Weald Action Group

UK Oil & Gas (UKOG) has announced it will not appeal against the refusal of planning permission for exploration near the village of Arreton on the Isle of Wight.

The Isle of Wight Council unanimously refused the application in October 2021. This followed years of dedicated campaigning by Don’t Drill the Wight, a non- party political group of like-minded individuals from a wide variety of backgrounds, professions and political affiliations, who are opposed to the development of new onshore exploration and extraction sites for oil and gas.

Continue reading “UKOG abandons plans to explore for oil on the Isle of Wight”

The South East Climate Alliance invites you to an online meeting about methane.

Guest speakers include SECA members Danny Lee (Petersfield Climate Action Network) and Emily Mott (Weald Action Group) as well as James Turitto (Clean Air Task Force). The session will be facilitated by Jill Sutcliffe.

Continue reading “Invitation to knowledge-sharing event on methane”

The Weald Action Group has called the government’s proposed ‘climate compatibility checkpoint’ for future oil and gas licensing in the UK Continental Shelf ‘inherently flawed’ – and says the checkpoint threatens both the government’s ability to meet its own net-zero target and the stability of the global climate.

Continue reading “No new oil and gas projects are ‘compatible’ with maintaining a stable climate”

Horse Hill challenge dismissed – but judgment not unanimous

Court of Appeal judges were divided over a claim that Surrey County Council acted unlawfully when it decided to grant planning permission for new oil wells and 20 years of oil production at Horse Hill in Surrey.

One of three judges agreed with campaigner Sarah Finch and intervenor Friends of the Earth that the council should have considered the full climate impacts of the development, including the ‘downstream’ greenhouse gas emissions that will be produced when the oil extracted at Horse Hill is eventually burned.

Continue reading “Horse Hill: Appeal Court judges divided over unlawfulness of decision to allow new Surrey oil wells”

The Weald Action Group has objected to Angus Energy’s planning application to produce oil at Brockham until 2036.

Angus is applying to retain one of the three wells on the site, BRX4, and reperforate it to allow for appraisal and production of hydrocarbons for a ‘temporary period’ of 15 years. The other two wells have been plugged and abandoned.  Read the application documents here: https://planning.surreycc.gov.uk/planappdisp.aspx?AppNo=SCC%20Ref%202021/0165

Continue reading “There is no need for oil from Brockham: WAG objects to oil production plans”

The legal challenge to Surrey County Council’s 2019 decision to allow 20 years of drilling at Horse Hill was heard in the Appeal Court on 16-17 November.

Lawyers on both sides argued their cases, and the judges listened attentively.  They will now deliberate, and we do not expect to hear the outcome for several weeks, or possibly longer.

Thank you everyone who was part of this, it has been a huge team effort, and funded by hundreds of people.”

Read more about the Appeal: http://www.wealdactiongroup.org.uk/2021/11/horse-hill-court-of-appeal-to-hear-challenge-to-controversial-oil-drilling-permission/

• UK government to defend council’s controversial decision in court
• 9am, campaigners with placards will gather outside the Royal Courts of Justice on the Strand to mark their opposition to oil drilling at Horse Hill

A woman who opposes Surrey County Council’s decision to allow oil drilling in greenbelt countryside, near Gatwick airport, is taking her legal battle to the Court of Appeal today.

Continue reading “Horse Hill: Court of Appeal to hear challenge to controversial oil drilling permission”

The Court of Appeal will hear a legal challenge on Tuesday 16 November 2021 to Surrey County Council’s controversial decision to grant planning permission for 20 years oil production at Horse Hill, in greenbelt countryside in Surrey.  

Continue reading “Horse Hill: Court of Appeal to hear challenge over controversial oil drilling permission”

On 6 November, halfway through the COP26 Climate Summit, 150 people joined a rally at Horse Hill organised by the Horse Hill Protection Group.

Continue reading “Campaigners demand Climate Justice at Horse Hill oil site”

The legal campaign to stop oil drilling at Horse Hill in Surrey is one of four cases that Friends of the Earth has highlighted as threatening the UK’s climate reputation. Another of the four is the UK providing $1.15 billion in funding for liquid gas drilling in Mozambique, fuelling human rights abuses.

Mozambican campaigner Kete Fumo sent a message of solidarity with those fighting the Horse Hill case – and called on UK citizens to support and publicise their fight. Her message was  broadcast at the Horse Hill Climate Justice Rally on 6 November:

Continue reading “Let’s keep up the fight! Solidarity message from Mozambique”