Council planners are “in active dialogue” with an oil company over restoring the mothballed exploration site at Broadford Bridge in West Sussex.

The county council has confirmed that UKOG (234) Ltd failed to meet the deadline to restore the site near Billingshurst.

A council spokesperson said in a statement:

“Restoration timeframes specified by relevant planning permissions WSCC/001/22 and WSCC/0022/22 have now passed. As a result, this is an enforcement matter.

“The County Council is in active dialogue with the operator about timeframes and progress towards restoration and, if necessary, will take more formal action.”

UKOG (234) Ltd, a subsidiary of UK Oil & Gas plc, had been granted an extension to the life of Broadford Bridge until March 2024.

The company applied for a further two years. But the county council refused permission for another extension and ordered the company to restore the site.

UKOG (234) Ltd could have appealed against the refusal but the deadline for an appeal expired last week.

We reported that neither West Sussex County Council nor the Planning Inspectorate had received notification that an appeal had been lodged. The company did not respond to our questions.

The county council spokesperson added:

“It is recognised that the operator will need reasonable time to secure the specialist equipment and staff (for which availability is limited) and secure further consents from other regulatory bodies, both of which are necessary to plug/abandon the well and return the site to agriculture.”

This is the second time action has been taken against a UK Oil & Gas company in West Sussex over planning conditions.

In 2018, the South Downs National Park Authority issued two breach of condition notices to UKOG (GB) Ltd for the Markwells Wood oil site, north-west of Chichester. The company had failed to restore the site after planning permission expired. In 2022, the South Downs National Park ordered the company to replant Markwells Wood after the first trees and shrubs died.

National planning policy requires planning authorities to “provide for restoration and aftercare at the earliest opportunity, to be carried out to high environmental standards”.

The West Sussex planning compliance and enforcement plan says enforcement action is at the discretion of the council. The need for enforcement action is assessed on a case-by-case basis.

It says particular attention would be paid to the need to protect sensitive areas, sites and features that are an important part of the natural environment.

It also says:

“Wherever possible, officers will seek to negotiate a suitable solution with the operator before any formal action is taken.”

Opponents of UKOG’s activities have Broadford Bridge have been calling for the site to be restored since it was mothballed in 2018.

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