November 29, 2018 10.37 am This story is over 63 months old

Oil firm to appeal third drilling rights refusal

They’re relentless

Egdon Resources will appeal a North Lincolnshire Council decision to refuse oil drilling rights for a third time.

The company had submitted proposals to retain and drill at a Lodge Farm near Wressle in the region.

Councillors had already refused the firm’s proposals on two previous occasions.

But the firm said the new plans “comprehensively addressed” any concerns that the council had.

The oil well near Wressle, North Lincolnshire.

However, councillors rejected the proposal for a third time and said there had been “deep concerns” about the plans.

Campaigners said the move showed that local people “had been listened to” and said they would continue to fight any appeal by the company.

Now, Egdon are preparing to take the council’s decision further.

Campaigners against the oil well at Wressle demonstrate outside North Lincolnshire Council. Picture: Calvin Robinson.

Managing director Mark Abbott said the decision by the authority was not “entirely unexpected”.

He said: “The decision of the committee, whilst not entirely unexpected, is nonetheless disappointing given that the application had been recommended for approval by North Lincolnshire Council’s own professional planning officer who had the benefit of a positive assessment by specialist independent technical consultants,

“We agree with the conclusion of the planning officer and the independent consultants and strongly believe the new application for the development of the Wressle oil field fully and comprehensively addresses the reasons for the refusal of the original planning applications and the subsequent appeals and therefore intend to appeal this decision without delay.

“We will begin preparing the appeal documentation on receipt of the committee’s decision notice.”

It will be the second time that the firm have decided to take the council to appeal.

Members of North Lincolnshire Council’s planning committee.

Egdon took a previous rejection by the authority to the government’s Planning Inspectorate before Christmas last year.

But the government rejected the application to drill for oil and raised concern over potential impacts on local water and residents.

However, the planning inspector granted Egdon a short extension at the site until April 2018.

Councillors refused another time extension application from the company soon after.

The Hampshire-based firm currently has two well sites in Lincolnshire at North Kelsey and Biscathorpe.


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