The Horse Hill oil and gas project has recently come to a standstill, with the developer halting oil extraction following the quashing of planning permission by the Supreme Court. Surrey County Council had initially granted permission for four new oil wells and 20 years of oil production at the site in 2019. However, a legal challenge led by local resident Sarah Finch, on behalf of the Weald Action Group and supported by Friends of the Earth, resulted in the Supreme Court ruling that the council had acted unlawfully by not considering the climate impacts of burning the extracted oil.
This ruling invalidated the planning permission, requiring the council to make a new decision regarding the site. Despite this, data from the North Sea Transition Authority revealed that the Horse Hill site had been producing oil without permission, prompting protests from activists, including Extinction Rebellion, who blocked the entrance to the site in Horley, Surrey.
In response to the unauthorized drilling, lawyers from Friends of the Earth urged Surrey County Council to take enforcement action against the continued extraction of fossil fuels. The council was reminded that failing to address the unpermitted drilling was unlawful, as highlighted in a legal opinion from planning and environmental barristers.
Following pressure from activists and legal challenges, the developer of the Horse Hill project finally suspended oil drilling at the site. This move was welcomed by Niall Toru, a lawyer at Friends of the Earth, who commended the efforts of local activists in campaigning against the development. UK Oil and Gas confirmed the suspension of oil production and stated that they had been in communication with Surrey County Council since the Supreme Court ruling.
Despite the suspension of drilling, discussions between the developer and the council are ongoing regarding the full suspension of the site. Surrey County Council expressed satisfaction that commercial oil production had ceased but emphasized that their planning enforcement investigation was still active. The developer, HHDL, plans to reapply for planning permission at the site in the future.
The developments at the Horse Hill site highlight the importance of regulatory compliance and environmental considerations in oil and gas projects. The actions taken by activists and legal challenges serve as a reminder of the need to prioritize environmental protection and sustainability in energy production.
