Jeremy Hunt stays silent on court hearing to stop oil drilling in Surrey constituency

Chancellor previously opposed plans approved by government to sink exploration well in Surrey Hills

Jeremy Hunt has declined to comment on government plans to allow oil and gas drilling in his constituency in the heart of the Surrey stockbroker belt, as a judicial review of the decision was heard at the high court.

The chancellor of the exchequer previously opposed proposals, approved by the government last year, to sink an exploration well near the village of Dunsfold, Waverley, in the midst of the Surrey Hills.

After judges in March granted permission for a judicial review of the decision, Hunt said he was disappointed plans “for drilling on this beautiful area” had not been scrapped, placing him in the unusual position of opposing a decision by his own colleagues.

But he kept silent as a challenge was heard at the high court in London on Thursday morning, not responding to requests for comment from the Guardian.

Dunsfold sits on the Weald basin, a topographical region stretching across south-east England that has been a source of coal and gas for 150 years, and is estimated to still contain hundreds of thousands of tonnes of oil.

UK Oil & Gas (UKOG), a hydrocarbon exploration company focused on exploiting the area’s remaining reserves, has leased a plot of land in open countryside where it has applied to bore two holes to explore for oil deposits.

Permission for the well at Dunsfold was granted last June by the housing minister, Stuart Andrew, in the face of fierce local opposition and despite two refusals by councillors on Surrey county council’s planning committee.

Opponents of the scheme gathered outside the Royal Courts of Justice before the judicial review hearing on Thursday morning, holding banners declaring “No future in fossil fuels” and “Don’t drill Dunsfold”. The International Energy Agency has said there can be no new fossil fuel extraction projects if the world is to stay within 1.5C of global heating.

Activists believe the outcome of the hearing could have significant implications for future on-shore fossil fuel projects going through the planning permission process.

Chris Lindesay of the activist group Protect Dunsfold, which opposes the scheme, said he believed Hunt, who began supporting their campaign from the backbenches last year, was still on their side, in spite of his silence. “We went to see him a couple of weeks ago, as Protect Dunsfold, and briefed him on what has been happening.

“He is kind of on the other side now, and it’s difficult for him. He’s not allowed to talk to the minister who is behind this – he’s a bit frustrated by that because he’s quite supportive but he can’t come out in public.”

The high court challenge has been brought by Protect Dunsfold, supported by the Good Law Project and Waverley borough council. They argue the decision to allow drilling at Dunsfold is inconsistent with a decision, taken on the same day, to refuse a similar application for a site in Ellesmere Port because of the greenhouse gas emissions it would produce.

A second argument relates to the site being on the edge of Surrey Hills, an area of outstanding natural beauty (AONB). National policy requires planning decisions to give weight to “conserving and enhancing landscape and scenic beauty” in AONBs.

But Lindesay said his and other local campaigners’ opposition was not confined to the specific circumstances at Dunsfold. “In principle I am opposed to drilling anywhere,” he said. “Now I’m a grandfather, I’ve got four grandkids, [and] in 60 years’ time they will be asking ‘Why did grandad not stop this?’ I feel the weight of that quite heavily.”

Jennine Walker, legal manager at the Good Law Project, who was also at court on Thursday, added: “It’s a scandal that the government ran roughshod over Surrey county council to give the scheme the green light. Even the local MP, and now chancellor, Jeremy Hunt has spoken out against the decision.

“UKOG’s plans to drill the Dunsfold site will see irreparable harm to the natural habitats and landscape on the edge of the Surrey Hills area of outstanding natural beauty, as well as producing significant amounts of greenhouse gas emissions.”

Walker added: “We hope that success in the high court will put a stop to this and also make it more difficult for similar schemes to gain approval in the future. This high court challenge is not only a must-win for the Dunsfold community; the UK’s vital efforts to tackle the climate emergency also hang in the balance.”

The hearing continues.

Contributor

Damien Gayle

The GuardianTramp

Related Content

Article image
Gas drilling at site in Jeremy Hunt’s Surrey constituency given green light
Chancellor has been accused of not sufficiently opposing the scheme since taking his cabinet position

Helena Horton Environment reporter

09, Jan, 2024 @7:16 PM

Article image
Ed Miliband urges PM to close ‘Swiss cheese’ holes in windfall tax on energy firms
Shadow net zero secretary attacks Sunak’s ‘perverse’ policy as Shell and British Gas report large profits

Aubrey Allegretti Chief political correspondent

27, Jul, 2023 @8:44 AM

Article image
Alok Sharma condemns government’s oil and gas bill as vote passes first hurdle
Former Cop26 president abstains from vote saying bill breaks UK’s promise to phase out fossil fuels

Helena Horton Environment reporter

22, Jan, 2024 @10:14 PM

Article image
‘People are waking up’: fight widens to stop new North Sea fossil fuel drilling
From trade unions to a bishop, activists are uniting to keep the UK government to its North Sea climate commitments

Matthew Taylor

14, Jul, 2022 @5:00 AM

Article image
MP Peter Lilley has received more than $400,000 in oil company share options

Analysis shows full extent of climate sceptic's financial interests in oil industry and places committee role under further scrutiny

Leo Hickman

20, Nov, 2012 @7:00 AM

Article image
New North Sea oil and gas licences ‘incompatible with UK climate goals’
Warning from experts comes as government is under pressure to approve new works amid energy crisis

Fiona Harvey Environment correspondent

15, Feb, 2022 @11:32 AM

Article image
Boris Johnson told to tackle rising energy bills to avoid ‘extreme suffering’ this winter
Ex-chief scientist David King says outgoing PM must deliver fiscal policies to support poorer people

Fiona Harvey Environment correspondent

15, Aug, 2022 @10:19 AM

Article image
Revealed: BP's close ties with the UK government
Documents show the extent of BP’s influence on government policy and how their intimate relationship is at odds with UK commitments to reduce carbon emissions

Felicity Lawrence and Harry Davies

21, May, 2015 @1:03 PM

Article image
Windfall tax must change in face of ‘excessive’ oil profits, Alok Sharma says
Exclusive: Outgoing head of climate talks says UK needs to encourage investment in renewables, not fossil fuels

Fiona Harvey Environment correspondent

28, Oct, 2022 @2:04 PM

Article image
UK government admits Rosebank oil will not be kept in UK to boost energy security
Ministers have previously claimed oilfield development will improve domestic energy security and help consumers

Matthew Taylor

04, Jan, 2024 @11:00 AM