High court to hear legal challenge on plans to drill for oil near Louth

The high court will today hear a legal challenge to plans for oil drilling near Louth

County councillors initially refused the project earmarked for Biscathorpe but a planning inspector overturned that decision on appeal.

Today campaigners will contest the verdict.

We spoke to leading campaigner Amanda Suddaby from the SOS Biscathorpe group.

She told us: "We have to stop drilling for oil - the science is absolutely clear."

"The world cannot afford to burn existing known reserves of oil and gas and stand even a 50-50 chance of limiting global warming to one and a half degrees."

Everybody who could say no did say no to this development and then we're being overruled

"It's absolutely essential that we stop looking for oil."

"This week there has been a paper come out in the Science Journal - reported by the Financial Times - saying we can actually do this - we can stop looking for oil and gas and switch to renewables."

She gave us her 3 key reasons to oppose the plans.

"Everybody who could say no did say no to this development and then we're being overruled."

It's an area of outstanding natural beauty

"The second is that we are in a climate crisis."

"The third is that an area of outstanding natural beauty is absolutely not the right place to even contemplate oil and gas exploration."

She can't understand why the Planning inspector agreed with many of their arguments but then backed the application.

"Despite the inspector agreeing with all of those things and finding those things for himself he then decided it would still be in the public interest to allow 15 years of oil drilling in this precious national landscape."

"We think that's wrong and that's why we're challenging the decision."

The inspector came to a balanced decision in allowing the appeal

We also approached Egdon resources, the company involved, for comment.

Mark Abbott, CEO told us: "Egdon Resources considers that all the grounds for challenging the Inspector’s decision granting planning permission at Biscathorpe should be dismissed."

"The Inspector reviewed all the relevant evidence before him and came to a balanced planning decision in allowing the appeal."

The risks to environmental sensitive receptors are very low and can be properly managed

"The embedded safeguards within the design of the wellsite, and the rigorous technical assessments that accompanied the planning application, demonstrate that the risks to environmental sensitive receptors are very low and can be properly managed."

"The existing well site lies some distance from the nearest settlements and is well screened from neighbouring properties and public rights of way."

"Minerals can only be extracted where they are found, and there will continue to be a need for indigenous oil and gas as the UK transitions to a low carbon economy.”

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