Campaigner urges Surrey residents to object to renewed oil drilling plans
Sarah Finch says it’s not too late for residents to object to plans for new oil wells near Horley
A campaigner fighting plans for new oil wells in Surrey is urging residents to continue making their views known, despite the formal consultation having already closed.
Sarah Finch, who successfully challenged an earlier proposal to extract oil from the Horse Hill site near Horley, says it is still possible for people to object before Surrey County Council makes its decision.
The original plans were approved by the council but were later overturned by the Supreme Court in 2024.
The case centred on proposals to extract hundreds of thousands of tonnes of oil from the Horse Hill area.
The Supreme Court ruled that the impact of burning the oil produced by the development should have been taken into account when assessing its environmental effects.
That decision was seen as a landmark ruling for climate campaigners, because it meant the emissions created when fossil fuels are ultimately burned could not simply be left out of consideration when assessing a planning application.
Fresh proposals for oil extraction at Horse Hill have since been submitted.
The new application will again be considered by Surrey County Council, which had previously approved the development.
Ms Finch, who is from Balcombe in West Sussex, is campaigning against the latest plans.
She says she remains optimistic after successfully challenging the previous application, but believes the need to oppose new fossil fuel developments has become more urgent.
The formal consultation on the latest plans ended on 13 July.
However, Ms Finch says people can still send objections to the council before a final decision is made.
She has urged local residents who have concerns about the proposals to continue contacting Surrey County Council.
The latest application is now awaiting the council's decision.
UK Oil and Gas Plc, which is behind the proposals, has been approached for comment.
An SCC spokesperson said: “Any comments or issues raised in response to the application will be considered by Officers during the determination process in due course.”