Plan for Egdon’s Wressle oil site near Scunthorpe. Source: Egdon planning application.
Investment by Egdon Resources in its oil site near Scunthorpe should be considered when deciding whether to extend planning permission, council planners will argue next week.
They recommend the exploration company should be allowed another year to restore the Wressle site, even though this goes against local and national planning policies and a deadline set by a government-appointed inspector.
The planners’ report, to be considered by North Lincolnshire councillors, said Egdon has spent about £5m on site construction and drilling the well at Wressle.
The company is seeking the extension while a new application for long-term oil production is decided.
The planners said:
“The applicants [Egdon] have stated in their supporting documents that, having constructed the wellsite and drilled the exploratory borehole, it would not be commercially viable to restore the site with a new application for long-term development pending determination.”
If permission for the extension were refused, planners said the Wressle oil well would have to be plugged and abandoned and the site restored.
Egdon would then have to rebuild the site and potentially re-enter and drill out the borehole if its new application for oil production was later approved. The planners said:
“This would effectively repeat the exploratory work (with associated cost and HGV movements) which took place in 2014 and 2015, as a new well bore would be needed.”
They concluded:
“The proposed 12 month extension to the restoration date would allow time for the production application to be determined prior to restoration taking place, which would avoid the risk of abortive work, at significant expense, should the production application be approved.”
Planning inspector, Keri Williams, at a public inquiry on three Egdon applications for the Wressle site. Photo: DrillOrDrop
The Wressle site was the subject of a planning inquiry in 2017, when Egdon appealed against three refusals of planning permission by North Lincolnshire Council.
The planning inspector, Keri Williams, dismissed the company’s appeals against two refusals of permission for long-term oil production.
But he allowed the company more time – until 28 April 2018 – to restore the site.
He took into account the existing investment in the site, as well the potential for abortive work, in allowing the extension.
Less than two weeks before the April 2018 deadline expired, Egdon sought another 12-month extension for restoration. Earlier this month, the company also submitted a new production application (DrillOrDrop report).
Broughton Town Council and some residents have strongly objected to Egdon’s request for a year’s extension because the original restoration deadline has passed.
The planners’ report acknowledged that granting the extension would conflict with a policy in the National Planning Policy Framework – the rulebook for planning authorities when considering applications. Paragraph 144 requires restoration and aftercare “at the earliest opportunity”.
The extension would also conflict with a policy in the local plan, which requires “adequate proposals for restoration”, they said.
But the planners said the facilities and infrastructure currently on the site were not “highly intrusive” and did not have a “significantly detrimental impact on the character and appearance of the area”.
They concluded:
“Given the relatively modest duration of the proposed extension to the restoration period, the lack of demonstrable environmental harm as a result of this extension and the financial implications of potentially abortive work should the extension be denied, it is considered that, in this instance, there are material considerations which outweigh the identified policy conflicts.”
- Egdon’s extension request comes before North Lincolnshire Council’s planning committee on Wednesday 1 August 2018. The committee meets at 2pm at the Civic Centre, Scunthorpe DN16 1AB (Link to agenda). The meeting is expected to hear from the company’s representatives and five opponents. DrillOrDrop will be reporting from the meeting.
Categories: Regulation
DRILL OR DROP? 
The committee members should refuse the application.It is in direct conflict with the NPPF.
Planning officers should no better than to place their opinions above the NPPF
No grey area here. The site should be and could be shut down now.
LCC ruled against extra time at Cuadrilla’s Becconsall site.
North Lincolnshire councillors should do the same
There would be little chance of success if Egdon went to appeal as the NPPF is quite clear,
Paragraph 144 requires restoration and aftercare “at the earliest opportunity”.
“Not commercially viable” to restore the site? Tough! It never was, it was always just an excuse to leave the tax payer to pick up the bill. Gold standards my aunt May, its just a con game just as it always was. No responsibility, no regulations, no planning conditions, nothing will ever be obeyed or adhered to.
No operator will ever “restore” a site to its pristine condition, because everything they have done there will be revealed and there are still plans to use them to waste dump and reinject toxic waste from other sites.
What a farce!
Well, its Sunday morning guys and gals, and its raining here and strong winds. The garden is being watered naturally this morning and the school has broken up for summer term holidays, so i can relax for a while.
I missed last weeks song, i was just too busy, so this morning i thought of the debacle when the government announces fracking approval, then cowardly cut and run, and this song sprang to mind, an oldie but a goodie, altered ever so slightly.
The Lunatics (Have Taken Over the Asylum)
With apologies to the song writers and group
“Fun Boy Three”
Renamed for this little diversion:
“Sun Boy Free”
The Lunatics (Have Taken Over the Asylum)
——-
I see a clinic full of cynics
Who want to twist the peoples’ wrist
They’re watching every move we make
We’re all included on the list
The lunatics have taken over the asylum
The lunatics have taken over the asylum
No fracking the cowboy told us
And who am I to disagree
’cause when the madman flicks the switch
The powers will go for me
The lunatics have taken over the asylum
The lunatics have taken over the asylum
I’ve seen the faces of starvation
But I just can not see the points
’cause there’s so much power here today
That no one wants to take away
The lunatics have taken over the asylum
The lunatics have taken over the asylum
The lunatics have taken over the asylum – take away my right to choose
The lunatics have taken over the asylum – take away my point of view
The lunatics have taken over the asylum
The lunatics have taken over the asylum – take away my dignity,
Take these things away from me
The lunatics have taken over the asylum
The lunatics have taken over the asylum – take away my family,
Take away the right to speak
The lunatics have taken over the asylum take away my point of view,
Take away my right to choose
—–
Original Songwriters: LYNVAL GOLDING,TERRY HALL,NEVILLE STAPLES
And this also occurred to me so why not both:
With apologies to Sheryl Crow
For her original lyrics of:
” The First Cut Is The Deepest”
Slightly altered to:
“The First Frack Is The Deepest”
——–
We’d have given them none of our trust
See they’re someone who’s torn it to dust
And they’ve forsaken just all that we have
But they want to try again
Baby we know they’ll try to get a free pass again….
But we know…
The first frack is the deepest
Baby we know
The first frack is the deepest
But when it comes to bein’ truthful, they’re cursed
When it comes to givin’ see, they’re the worst…
We don’t want them at all in our life
They’ll just help us know the times that they’ve lied
And we’re sure not gonna give them a try
We won’t, we’ll stay, we’ll oppose them again and again, (say again)
Baby we know they’ll try to pull the wool again, but we know…
OOHHH
The first frack is the deepest
Baby we know
The first frack is the deepest
But when it comes to bein’ truthful, they’re cursed
But when it comes to givin’ see, they’re the worst…
We don’t want them at all in our life
They’ll just help us know the times that they’ve lied
But we’re sure not gonna give them a try
Cuz if they want that we’ll oppose them again and again.
(Try to frack again, try to frack again)
Say we know they will try to pull the wool again, but we know…
OOHHH….
The first frack is the deepest
Baby we know
The first frack is the deepest
But when it comes to bein’ truthful, they’re cursed
But when it comes to givin’ see, they’re the worst…
OOHHH, the first frack is the deepest
Baby we know (baby we know)
The first frack is the deepest
Try to lie again…
——
That was fun wasn’t it?
Have a good Sunday with family and friends and have a good relaxing day.
Cheers Phil , I love a little humour on a Sunday morning and reading Egdon’s plans have me in stitches .Plug it up plug it up !!
“It is acknowledged that the proposed development does not fully accord with Paragraph 144 of the NPPF or policy M21 of the Local Plan, which seek to secure restoration of mineral sites as soon as possible. However, a new application for hydrocarbon production from the site has been submitted by the applicants, which, if approved, would allow for the retention of the wellsite. The proposed 12 month extension to the restoration date would allow time for the production application to be determined prior to restoration taking place, which would avoid the risk of abortive work, at significant expense, should the production application be approved. With regard to the environmental impact of the proposed variation, the site is currently on a care and maintenance footing with very limited activity. The site is considered to have no significant adverse visual impact on its surroundings or on the amenity of local residents.”
Common sense. The Councillor’s may well vote against the Officer’s recommendation – however despite what JP has speculated above regarding Egdon’s chances of success at Appeal, the odds of winning an Appeal are with Egdon – and the Planning Officer knows this and will no doubt state this when the Planning Committee ask this question (or at least the Council’s Legal Advisor will tell the Committee this and advise approval).
Phil C, another example of why you should start attending some planning committees / appeals? Not a “farce”, just the planning system working as it should. Perhaps you could take your allotted 3 minutes and stand up and sing your Sunday song to the Planning Committee?
No common sense observable in these actions (i reserve the right to use whatever terminology i please to describe anything here), the only “common” element seems to be that anything that the local residents is sidelined and ignored.
Those are local residents who struggle to fund there actions and take an enormous amount of their own time and effort to arrange a defence against deliberately last minute placed re application of terms by the operators who know perfectly well how much pressure and stress that puts upon the public protagonists to arrange their evidence to suit the new conditions.
There is no “sense” element in that the entire process and it is little more than overbearing overweighted unbalanced “grandstanding” to attempt to show that public opinion is being listened to, but when it comes to a decision, it is very clear that any such publicly evidence and opinion is totally ignored and overruled internally by carefully placed individuals who follow the party line and then by central government who never did have any intention of listening to anyone but the carefully placed internal elements and the outrageously over legally endowed wealthy operators lawyers and barristers and “so called” “experts” whose evidence is clearly inadequate, totally untruthful and ignores anything that does not support their owners.
That is not balance, that is not “process” that is Stalinist kangaroo court twisting the ability to represent and produce evidence by vastly outweighing the local residents financially, legally and by the pre judging of the relevant process handlers.
No, rejected, and incidentally with this present compromised government it would never allowed the local and central planning processes to be changed for the better, they like it just the way it is, ineffectual regarding “public consultation” in any forum.
Yes it is a Farce, and that cannot be denied.
Europe will import more LNG as its own gas production declines.
U.S.A, Russia, Qatar etc are all happy to import more and more LNG to us with higher CO2 & financial costs. Is this the choice you want? Friends with Trump, Putin and Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani…
https://www.bloomberg.com/amp/news/articles/2018-07-25/europe-to-become-massive-buyer-of-u-s-lng-trump-says?__twitter_impression=true
This is from Ian R Crane and reports on the cancer concentrations adjacent to petro chemical operations in Louisiana and this is what we can expect here, if you dont see that, then you haven’t been paying attention.
Lancashire will soon be the UK version of Louisiana … THIS is what the North of England can expect to experience IF the Unconventional Gas (FRACKING) agenda gets underway in the UK …
You Wont Enjoy
You Wont Enjoy
Since Phil C and his gangs love a tune and song lyric. Here is my contribution.
“You’re so vain. You probably think this song is about you.”
“You’re so vain. You probably think this song is about you.”
“Don’t you. Don’t you.”
From Carly Simmon. Beautiful song and singer.
Oooh! Touchy!
Nice try TW, but somewhat of a self reflection……?
Ever the critic, never the player eh? Twas ever thus.
Maybe that should be aimed at your own colleagues?
i can think of a few.
Chill pill Phil. Just a cool and catchy song. I am sure we all have been a bit vain at least once during our life.
Still trying to divert away from the fact that Lancashire and many other places in this country will soon become the UK version of Cancer Alley Louisiana BTW? Not very funny is it?
No cigar, didn’t work.
No “pills” will stop the “ills” from the terminal “spills” of the “drills” when the “chills” caused by the “shills” crowing from the “hills” full to the “gills” with pockets full of “bills” when it human rights and democracy it “kills”…..
Hey! sounds like a Flat Cat Fat Cat Frack Rap! Lets Cap The Flat Cat Fat Cat Frack Hat Crap Rap!
Ha! Ha! Such Fun! Always a pleasure!
Lol. Take a chill pill from Dr Phil. Lol.
Can anyone hear an aggravating little buzzing sound around here somewhere?
Oh there it is? So small and banging itself against the window? It seems to have dropped some little pills, self medicated no doubt?
Must be that time of year?
Hang on, i think its trying to say something?
Anyone talk gibberish?
No, me either.
this is the result of giving politicians any sort of control over our lives, it will happen here just as it does in Pennsylvania and elsewhere.
( https://stateimpact.npr.org/pennsylvania/2018/05/23/wolfs-fracking-health-record-hammered-by-new-industry-opposition-group/ )
We stop it now or we suffer the consequences.
Sink holes in Texas causing increasing alarm.
( https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/mar/27/texas-sinkholes-oil-gas-scientists-report )
Health risks to children caused by fracking.
( https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/oct/25/pollutants-from-fracking-could-pose-health-risk-to-children-warn-researchers )
It seems TW is using his alter ego Phil, as this is not the usual syntax……
Hi Sherwulfe, yes just an inconsequential little pill pusher bug trying to groom it’s own reflection?
I think it pushed off along with it’s imaginary friend?
The country is on its knees and wealth creating business’s are at the mercy of councilors who have their own personal agenda to appease the vocal minority? Great!
This particular site is non obtrusive, presents no hazards whatsoever to local traffic and is not fracking, and no a bit of harmless acid (when used correctly) doesn’t constitute full blown fracking.
Fair enough I can see why some sites do get the locals and militants from London in a stoosh but by going after all onshore o&g sites they are digging their own grave.
Councilors should welcome any cash generators they can get, times are going to get very tough very soon.
Fracking makes you fat
( https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/06/180621101400.htm )
Exposure to fracking chemicals and wastewater promotes fat cell development, or adipogenesis, in living cells in a laboratory, according to a new Duke University-led study.
Salt is key ingredient for cheaper and more efficient batteries
“The result was a low-cost and long service life rechargeable high-temperature molten salt iron-oxygen battery with both high energy storage capacity and fast charging and discharging power capability.”
( https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/07/180709101121.htm )
If you get fracking fat then take a fat pill. If not, take a chill pill from Dr Phil.
Still buzzing, its a little pill bug?
It seems to have dropped some of its little pills, well, two of them anyway, self medicated no doubt?
Still trying to push pills isnt it?
I think we had better tell it to push off.
New battery could store wind and solar electricity affordably and at room temperature
A new type of flow battery that involves a liquid metal more than doubled the maximum voltage of conventional flow batteries and could lead to affordable storage of renewable power.
( https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/07/180719165019.htm )
Fracking — not wastewater disposal — linked to most induced earthquakes in Western Canada
A survey of a major oil and natural gas-producing region in Western Canada suggests a link between hydraulic fracturing or ‘fracking’ and induced earthquakes in the region.
Share:
A survey of a major oil and natural gas-producing region in Western Canada suggests a link between hydraulic fracturing or “fracking” and induced earthquakes in the region, according to a new report published online in the journal Seismological Research Letters.
( https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/03/160329132238.htm )
Fracking plays active role in generating toxic metal wastewater, study finds
The production of hazardous wastewater in hydraulic fracturing is assumed to be partly due to chemicals introduced into injected freshwater when it mixes with highly saline brine naturally present in the rock. But a new study investigating the toxic metal barium in fracking wastewater finds that chemical reactions between injected freshwater and the fractured shale itself could play a major role.
Dartmouth Professor Mukul Sharma and his colleagues find that chemical reactions between injected freshwater and hydraulically fractured shale could play a major role in generating toxic metal barium in fracking wastewater.
Credit: Dartmouth College
( https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/12/151215134653.htm )
it will be interesting if this is tried here, because in Pennsylvania it was outlawed after court cases.
Study finds health threats from oil and gas wastewater spread on roads
( https://stateimpact.npr.org/pennsylvania/2018/05/31/study-finds-health-threats-from-oil-and-gas-wastewater-spread-on-roads/ )
Even the Hulk doesnt like fracking?
( https://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2018/05/23/mark-ruffalo-and-fracking-harmed-residents-demand-help-gov-wolf-new-health )
Health Professionals: Fracking Can’t Be Done Without Threatening Public Health
By Grant Smith, Senior Energy Policy Advisor and Tasha Stoiber, Senior Scientist
Friday, March 16, 2018
Fracking for oil and gas poses an impending health crisis in the U.S., two leading groups of health professionals warn in a new report. Not only do existing fracking regulations fail to protect Americans from increased risk of cancer, asthma and birth defects, but there is no evidence fracking can ever be done without threatening public health, according to the authors.
( https://www.ewg.org/news-and-analysis/2018/03/health-professionals-fracking-can-t-be-done-without-threatening-public#.W17t_bjrHyQ )
Residents stand up for more representation in Louisiana petro chemical polluted Cancer Alley.
Concerned Citizens in Cancer Alley Vow to Ramp up Battle Against Industrial Pollution in 2018
( https://www.desmogblog.com/2018/01/04/concerned-citizens-st-john-louisiana-cancer-alley-pollution-fight )