Dismay over Balcombe High Court decision

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty remains under threat from shale oil drilling.

Residents in Balcombe face another three years of disruption after a High Court bid to overturn planning permission for oil exploration in the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) failed.

Frack Free Balcombe Residents Association asked the court to revoke Angus Energy’s permission for oil exploration, granted at appeal earlier this year.

However, the Honourable Mrs Justice Lieven dismissed residents’ six legal arguments.

She concluded the harms of hydrocarbon extraction, and the consideration of other sites, were not relevant in the case of an application for exploration.

However, these issues would be “likely to be highly relevant if there is ever a production application”.

Read more: Press release – Dismay over Balcombe High Court decision