Statement from Surrey County Council: Oil drilling at Horse Hill

The Supreme Court issued its decision in June 2024 on the challenge brought against the Council’s decision to grant planning permission for oil production at the Horse Hill site. The Supreme Court ruled that the County Council acted unlawfully by not considering the indirect, downstream emissions of the oil when burnt in the Environmental Statement submitted with the application. An Environmental Statement was required because the proposal was considered to be Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) development.  The County Council’s decision was therefore quashed and the application returned to be re-determined in light of the Supreme Court’s decision.

Following the Supreme Court decision, there is no planning permission for oil production at the site.  The Council’s position is that such oil production is therefore unlawful. Any development carried out in the absence of planning permission is vulnerable to formal enforcement action. The County Council is continuing its enforcement investigation and will determine whether formal enforcement action is expedient. While the investigation is continuing it is not possible to comment further.

Update 29.10.24

Following discussions between the County’s Planning Enforcement and Monitoring Team and the operator, the County is pleased that commercial production of oil at the site has ceased.

However, discussions remain on-going in relation to full suspension of the site and as such the County’s planning enforcement investigation remains live.