Campaigner says oil plans “too small to matter”as inquiry announced into Biscathorpe drilling
Public inquiry to examine controversial oil project as campaigners warn of climate impact
A Lincolnshire campaigner says plans to drill for oil in the Lincolnshire Wolds would bring huge environmental costs for virtually no benefit.
A week-long public inquiry will be held in April next year to examine proposals by developer Egdon Resources to extract oil at Biscathorpe, near Louth.
Amanda Suddaby, one of the founding members of the local campaign group SOS Biscathorpe, said the scheme threatens a landscape she describes as “sacred” and offers little in return.
“They’re hoping to find around 2.7 million barrels of oil — that’s less than three hundredths of one percent of what the UK uses,” she said. “It’s such a small amount it’s negligible. It won’t bring us energy security, it won’t lower bills, and there’s no guarantee the oil would even stay in this country.”
Amanda added that the environmental impact of burning the oil could be significant.
“It would produce about a million tonnes of CO₂, adding to the climate crisis,” she said.
“Lincolnshire is already experiencing flooding and extreme weather - these aren’t distant problems, they’re happening here and now.”
She said the upcoming public inquiry is an important chance to fully examine how the project was approved and its potential consequences.
“We really have to address this now,” she said. “Stopping this development would be a very good first step.
The inquiry is asking for comments to be submitted by December 3rd this year.
Egdon Resources have not responded to our request for comment.