Save Lincolnshire Wolds A.O.N.B. from Oil Drilling

Please support our Legal Challenge.

SOS Biscathorpe is a small local group of volunteers who have been campaigning since 2014 to stop oil drilling going ahead in the heart of the Lincolnshire Wolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) next to a precious chalk-stream; there are only 200 of these fragile ecosystems in the world.

In October 2021 we were delighted that Lincolnshire County Council refused permission for a new oil production development. However, our joy was short-lived … the developer (Egdon Resources, now Heyco – a U.S. company) appealed to the Secretary of State to overturn the Council’s decision. On 3 November 2023 a government-appointed Planning Inspector did just that and ruled that oil drilling could go ahead “in the public interest” despite acknowledging that the development would cause harm to the special characteristics of the AONB and contravened local planning policies. He also acknowledged that the amount of oil to be extracted is very small (estimate 3 million barrels of oil) and could even be exported.

We think this decision is wrong.

Our only course of action now is to bring a legal challenge against the decision.

We have brought together a brilliant legal team who believe we have good grounds to apply for a Statutory Review.

We only have 2 weeks to file the papers and we need to raise an initial £20,000 to contribute towards our costs. Our legal team are working at a fraction of their usual fees and every penny donated will go directly towards the costs of the case.

If successful, this could be an important landmark case on the correct interpretation of planning law and policy relevant to all fossil fuel developments. The IEA has concluded that there can be no new fossil fuel development if the world is to stay within safe limits of global heating and meet the goal of net zero emissions by 2050. Our case could set a much-needed precedent for similar small campaign groups fighting to protect our environment from unnecessary oil drilling in a climate crisis.

Please donate now and share with family, friends and colleagues. Together we can help protect this beautiful countryside and our planet from the lethal effects of oil production.

THANK YOU

SOS BISCATHORPE

SOS Biscathorpe is represented by Estelle Dehon KC and Dr Lois Lane of Cornerstone Barristers, and Ricardo Gama and Julia Eriksen of Leigh Day Solicitors.