The legal challenge to drilling for gas near the Surrey village of Dunsfold will go to the High Court in eight weeks.

The date for the hearing has been confirmed as Thursday 8 June.

The government granted planning permission last year for exploration and appraisal by UK Oil & Gas plc at the proposed Loxley wellsite. This overturned two refusals of consent by Surrey County Council.

Protect Dunsfold, supported by the Good Law Project, and Waverley Borough Council are seeking a statutory review of the government’s decision.

They are expected to argue that the government acted inconsistently because, on the same day as the Dunsfold announcement, it refused permission for gas testing at Ellesmere Port because of carbon emissions.

Their case also centres on whether the government gave enough consideration to harm from gas drilling on the landscape of the nearby Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The hearing will be at the Royal Courts of Justice on the Strand, London WC2A 2LL.