Campaigners take oil fight to the High Court

Egdon Resources' proposed oil drilling site at Biscathorpe in the Lincolnshire Wolds

Campaigners from villages near to a proposed oil drilling site in the Lincolnshire Wolds will be at the High Court in London later to try to stop it going ahead.

The legal action by SOS Biscathorpe is attempting to overturn a government decision made last year to allow work to begin.

The site is in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and campaigners are concerned that a nearby chalk stream could be contaminated.

The drilling company Egdon Resources said its operation would be done safely, adding there was a need for "indigenous oil and gas as the UK transitions to a low carbon economy”.

Resident Mathilda Dennis, from SOS Biscathorpe, is leading the legal action against Egdon Resources

Campaigners have been fighting to stop the drilling for more than 10 years.

Mathilda Dennis, from SOS Biscathorpe, believes the scheme could harm the environment and is unnecessary.

She said: "We clearly believe we have a case otherwise we would not have spent so much energy working on this.

"In the past 10 years they haven't been able to produce any oil from Biscathorpe, which is great. They have been there, but they haven't got what they wanted."

Campaigners are concerned for the ecology of a rare chalk stream located near to the proposed drill site

In a statement, Egdon Resources said it thought all the grounds for challenging the decision granting planning permission should be dismissed.

It added: "The Inspector reviewed all the relevant evidence before him and came to a balanced planning decision in allowing the appeal.

"The embedded safeguards within the design of the wellsite, and the rigorous technical assessments that accompanied the planning application, demonstrate that the risks to environmental sensitive receptors are very low and can be properly managed."

The company said minerals could only be extracted where they are found, adding "there will continue to be a need for indigenous oil and gas as the UK transitions to a low carbon economy”.

Campaigners have been fighting the proposals for more than 10 years

Lawyers are expected to argue whether it was in the public interest to grant planning permission in an AONB.

The hearing will also examine the potential environmental impact of the project and whether this can be justified.

Should the judge rule that the decision by the government to allows drilling was taken unlawfully, it may then be quashed.

The case will be heard over two days at the Royal Courts of Justice.