Opponents of oil operations in the West Sussex village of Balcombe have vowed to fight any future proposals for production, despite losing a recent legal challenge.

The campaign group, Frack Free Balcombe Residents Association (FFBRA), failed at the appeal court to overturn planning permission for a well test by Angus Energy.

But in a statement, FFBRA said:

“we will fight any future application every step of the way and we will win.”

The group said it was disappointed to lose the appeal but it “takes heart” that court judgements in the case had strengthened its position.

FFBRA said it would be expensive and time-consuming for Angus Energy to seek to produce oil at Balcombe:

“It seems it would be very challenging for them to ever get permission to go into production at the site.”

The group said the court judgements in its case confirmed that permission for a flow test did not guarantee approval for production. Each application must be judged anew and probably under more protective climate policies:

“Angus Energy would clearly be foolish indeed to come and appraise for oil at Balcombe. The judgment makes it very clear that exploration (and appraisal or testing) and production are two entirely distinct phases requiring entirely separate planning applications; there is no easy route to oil production at this site.”

During the legal challenges, the group said it had gained a “much deeper understanding” of key issues, including:

• earthquakes linked to oil and gas operations
• impact of flaring and lorry traffic on air quality
• links between the Balcombe site and local water supplies

In the past year, the Supreme Court ruled in a landmark case that decision-makers must take account of the climate impact of burning oil and gas in production applications.

Angus Energy’s plan to test the commercial viability was refused unanimously by West Sussex County Council in 2021. Councillors argued that the one-year test was not in the public interest and had minimal benefit to the local economy.

A planning inspector overturned the decision in 2023 and granted planning permission. FFBRA failed in legal challenges at the High Court in 2023 and Appeal Court in 2025.

But the group said:

“In order to protect the local community, the AONB [High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty] and prevent further climate destruction a future planning application should be rejected.

“We might have lost the battle but we are closer to winning the war”.