21st August 2014

Frack Free Balcombe Residents Association heard this afternoon it had a court date for its legal challenge to the decision to grant planning permission to Cuadrilla to flow test an oil well in the village.

FFBRA has been granted a judicial review of the decision by West Sussex County Council’s planning committee in April.

Solicitors Leigh Day, acting for FFBRA, informed the organisation that the hearing would take place on Thursday November 6th and Friday November 7th at the High Court.

The organisation argues that the planning committee was wrong in law to insist that the number of representations against the application was “not a material consideration”. It also cites Cuadrila’s conduct during the operation of its previous activities in Balcombe, including allegations of non-compliance with planning conditions in the past.

FFBRA member, Sue Taylor, said: “We are delighted to now have a date fixed in the court diary for our hearing “