11th July 2014

West Sussex County Council planners are recommending refusal of an application by Celtique Energie to drill an exploratory oil well between Wisborough Green and Kirdford.

In a report published this afternoon, the planners said the application should be rejected because of concerns about road safety and capacity. Last week, the county’s Highways Department formally objected to the plans.

The application is due to go before the council’s planning committee on Tuesday July 22nd. The report, which will be presented at the meeting,  said the applicant had failed to:

• Demonstrate that vehicles could enter and exit the site safely and without detriment to the highway network.
• Show that vehicles could travel on the proposed route to the site safely and without harm to highway capacity and road safety
• Accurately assess the increase in lorry movements resulting from the development
• Demonstrate that the development would not have a “detrimental impact on highway capacity and road safety and residential amenity through increased noise.”

The report also said lorries going to and from the site would “harm the character of Wisborough Green village and conservation.”

View the planners’ report here

The planning meeting starts at 10.30 and is in the Park Suite, County Hall North, Chart Way, Horsham, West Sussex, RH12 1XH