Glentworth oil well approved despite local complaints and Extinction Rebellion protest

Plans for a new oil well in Glentworth have been approved, despite environmental protesters saying “it makes no sense”.

The temporary hydrocarbon well-site near Caenby Corner will operate for up for 21 years.

IGas Energy PLC claims it will help meet the UK’s need for oil, although locals feared the impact of so many HGVs on the village.

The application was discussed by Lincolnshire County Council on Monday, with Extinction Rebellion protestors outside and in the public gallery.

John Latham, chairman of Glentworth Parish Council, said he feared more than 100 extra lorries a day would be created, and decisions should support a “low carbon” future and protect tranquil areas.

“There is no support whatsoever for the development in this village, the responses to the plans on the county council’s planning website are clear regardless of any claims that have been made to the contrary,” he said.

“The road is barely two lanes with no solid verge or curb on one side. Just a few days of movements at this scale is likely to mean that the surface and edges deteriorate, making the roads increasingly unsafe.”

Lincolnshire County Council’s Highways Officers had initially objected, but withdrew their concerns after the developer agreed to improve the local highways network.

Exploratory works will take place over 10 months across two phases, while production testing will take a further 12 months.

If both are successful, it would lead to the extension of the well and the installation of the pipeline before drilling took place across a further three phases.

Tony Bryan, development director for IGas, said the company had been environmentally responsibly for decades.

“This application is the latest step in our long and successful history utilising our considerable experience in onshore drilling and field development,” he said.

He added that the extraction would secure domestic supply, and noted the lack of objections from other statutory consultees.

Lincolnshire County Council received 62 representations from local residents.

Councillor Tom Ashton said: “This is a type of industry that Lincolnshire has been familiar with for a very long time”, noting existing pumps had been on site with “very little impact on the landscape”.

He said he would rather have oil which was locally sourced than “being shipped from the far side of the world”.

However, Extinction Rebellion representative Rosemary Robinson said that was “a totally spurious argument”.

“Anything that comes out of the land in this country goes on to the world market and so we pay the same price as anybody else,” she said.

“We need to reduce what we’re taking out of the ground, we’ve got to get to net zero at least by 2030, if not sooner. This is absolute madness.”

“We’re in the middle of a climate emergency and we’re still giving out new licences for oil and gas – it doesn’t make any sense.”

Extinction Rebellion held a protest outside the council chambers ahead of the meeting and when the decision was made, left the room singing solemnly.

They had previously staged a dramatic piece of street theatre in Lincoln where fake oil was poured over a supporter.

 

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