Dunsfold: Farmers' fury over potential UKOG gas drilling site

Campaigners lined up to mark out the size of vehicles expected to use the site

Farmers in Surrey say they are furious after a legal ruling gave the go-ahead to a gas drilling project.

The Court of Appeal refused permission to appeal against a government decision allowing UK Oil & Gas (UKOG) to explore a site in Dunsfold.

Ashley Herman, who lives near the site, said the disruption to traffic, local businesses and the environment were not in proportion to potential benefits.

UKOG said the project would benefit energy and economic interests.

The application from the energy company had been approved by the government, despite it twice being refused by Surrey County Council.

'Absolutely furious'

Mr Herman raised concerns the access to the site.

"It's rolling hills and beautiful countryside, and has small, little lanes and sunken roads," he told BBC Radio Surrey.

"It is so narrow, you can probably just about fit a bin lorry down it. I don't know how they're going to access this site at all."

He said the entire village had worked together to try to prevent the project.

"The mood here is absolutely furious," he said. "The disruption it is going to cause to the village and to the people who live around the site will be enormous and out of proportion to any potential benefits."

Campaigners outside the Royal Courts of Justice protested over plans to begin gas drilling in rural Surrey in June 2023

Kirsty Cluff, a campaigner from Extinction Rebellion and the Weald Action Group, said the decision was unbeneficial to the climate emergency.

"It was the hottest year on record last year. Climate change is happening now, and burning fossil fuels is by far the biggest contributor," she said.

"This is not justice for the people, for the climate or the environment."

UKOG said it would be able to extract gas from the Dunsfold site worth £123m.

"We are pleased that Lord Justice Stuart-Smith has once again dismissed the legal challenge to our Loxley project and has confirmed that its planning consent is entirely lawful, as the company and its counsel has maintained," a spokesperson said.

The firm also said the project was in keeping with the government's Hydrogen, Energy Security and Net Zero strategies.

On Tuesday, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said he was "bitterly disappointed" in the decision that gave the go-ahead to the project in his South West Surrey constituency.

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